What type of medium is used for Western Blot analysis?

Polyacrylamide is the medium of choice for Western Blot analysis due to its ability to create a gel matrix that effectively separates proteins based on their size during electrophoresis. This separation occurs because polyacrylamide gels can be cast with varying concentrations to allow for the resolution of proteins with different molecular weights, making them highly suitable for distinguishing between proteins that are close in size.

The use of polyacrylamide allows for high resolution in the separation process, enabling researchers to identify specific proteins within a complex mixture. Furthermore, after proteins are separated, they can be transferred to a membrane for antibody detection, which is a key step in the Western Blot procedure. This sensitivity and specificity in detecting proteins are essential for analyzing proteins in various applications such as diagnostics and research.

Other options, while they may have their applications in different types of electrophoresis or biochemical assays, do not provide the same level of resolution and specificity required for Western Blotting as polyacrylamide does. For instance, agarose is typically used for separating larger nucleic acids rather than proteins, cellulose acetate is often associated with electrophoretic applications for smaller molecules or nucleic acids, and gelatin is not used as a separation medium in this