Understanding the Science: Why is milk a good blocking buffer?
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4 min read
While the term 'nutrition diet' points toward a dietary context, the phrase '**why is milk a good blocking buffer**' refers to a key step in molecular biology research, specifically Western blotting. In laboratories worldwide, non-fat dry milk is a common, inexpensive reagent used to saturate membranes, preventing antibodies from binding non-specifically and causing background noise. This surprising application is a cornerstone of immunodetection techniques, demonstrating milk's critical utility beyond the kitchen.