Protein Analysis

In many neurobiological experiments, identifying the presence and/or quantitative change of specific proteins as well as their associating partners will contribute to the understanding of their chronological and physiological functions in the brain. Methods such as Western blot analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, immunoprecipitation (IP), etc. are powerful tools when used individually and in combination will enable the investigator to determine the changes and responses of specific proteins in disease or treatment paradigms. In this chapter, four of the more commonly used protein analytical techniques are presented here. Nevertheless, with minor modifications to the procedures, these methods can be adapted to address in a wide range of questions in our quest to understand the functions of the brain.