Bovine serum albumin is a relatively small protein (MW = 70 kd) found in mammalian blood plasma and serum. BSA is a "carrier" protein that helps distribute cations and insoluble materials such as steroid hormones and fatty acids in the blood. It is widely available and cheap (approx. $1 / g) and has no enzymatic activity to interfere with reactions. It is often used when a pure preparation of a generic protein is needed.
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Mike Dalbey
dalbey@biology.ucsc.edu
9/2/97