Affinity chromatography
Affinity Chromatography
Affinity Chromatography (pronunciation: /əˈfɪnɪti kroʊməˈtɒɡrəfi/) is a type of chromatography that is used to separate biochemical mixtures based on a highly specific interaction between antigen and antibody, enzyme and substrate, receptor and ligand, or protein and nucleic acid.
Etymology
The term "Affinity Chromatography" is derived from the English word "affinity", meaning a spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something, and the Greek word "chromatographia", which means color writing. The term was first used in the 1960s to describe the technique that is now widely used in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology.
Definition
Affinity Chromatography is a method of separating biochemical mixtures based on a highly specific biological interaction such as that between antigen and antibody, enzyme and substrate, or receptor and ligand. It is a type of liquid chromatography that uses a biologically related agent as a stationary phase to capture the target molecule from the liquid phase.
Related Terms
- Antigen: A toxin or other foreign substance that induces an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.
- Antibody: A blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen.
- Enzyme: A substance produced by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction.
- Substrate: The substance on which an enzyme acts.
- Receptor: A region of tissue, or a molecule in a cell membrane, that responds specifically to a particular neurotransmitter, hormone, antigen, or other substance.
- Ligand: An ion or molecule attached to a metal atom by coordinate bonding.
- Protein: A molecule composed of polymers of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds.
- Nucleic Acid: A complex organic substance present in living cells, especially DNA or RNA, whose molecules consist of many nucleotides linked in a long chain.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Affinity chromatography
- Wikipedia's article - Affinity chromatography
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