Quantitative Computerized Western Blotting in Detail

Western blotting, followed by immunoblotting, provides a superb method to study antibody reactivity against several proteins separated according to their molecular weights. The difference between immune immunodominant and immunorecessive proteins is often problematic and is carried out by qualitative or experiential means. Dalit Talmi-Frank, Charles L. Jaffe, and Gad Baneth devised and described quantitative computerized western blotting (QCWB) to examine reactivity to specific antigens by giving a statistically measurable value for each band permitting distinction between immunodominant and immunorecessive determinants. QCWB is beneficial for both single time point studies and longitudinal investigation where several time points are assessed and the relativities against individual bands compared. This method can be used to investigate antibody responses to complex protein mixtures like allergens and infectious agents. This technique can also be used to detect serum markers for early diagnosis of cancer and autoimmune or infectious diseases or to monitor a patient’s disease condition.