lab techniques for biology

Question 1

affinity

Answer 1

the degree to which a substance is attractedand tends to bind to another

Question 2

affinity chromatography

Answer 2

a technique used to seperate and purify proteins based on a specific binding interaction between an immobolised ligand and its binding partner

Question 3

antigen

Answer 3

a specific protein with which antibodies can bind to an immune response

Question 4

aseptic technique

Answer 4

procedures in place to prevent contamination including sreralising equiptment and work surfaces

Question 5

bright field microscopy

Answer 5

used to observe whole organisms, parts of organims, thin sections of dissected tissue or individual cells

Question 6

buffer

Answer 6

a solution used to maintain and control a particluar pH

Question 7

centrefugation

Answer 7

a process that uses force to seperate different densitys
less density=supernatant
high density= pellet

Question 8

chromatography

Answer 8

a technique used to seperate mixturez with a stationary phase(gel or paper) and a mobile phase which is the solvent

Question 9

colorimeter

Answer 9

a divice used to measure the absorbance of a specific wavelength of light by a solution

Question 10

culture media

Answer 10

a nutrient rich growth medium providing basic requirements for cell growth

Question 11

fluorescence

Answer 11

the emmision of of light of a different wavelength that was absorbed

Question 12

fluorecence microscopy

Answer 12

a technique that useds specific fluorecent labels to bind to and visulise certain molecules or structures within cells or tissues

Question 13

gel electrophoresis

Answer 13

used to seperate samples of nucleic acid and proteins by size introduced to a gel and moved by an electrical current smaller particles move further

Question 14

growth factors

Answer 14

proteins that promote cell growth

Question 15

haemocytometer

Answer 15

a grid used to estimate the total number of cells within a sample

Question 16

hazard

Answer 16

anythiing that poses a potential risk or threat to an individual or the environment

Question 17

immunoassy

Answer 17

a technique used to detect and identify specific proteins
antibodies link with reporter enzymes

Question 18

inoculum

Answer 18

starting material used to grow a culture

Question 19

isoelectric points

Answer 19

the pH at which a soluble protein has no net charge and will precipitate out of the solution

Question 20

linear dilution

Answer 20

differ by an equal interval eg 0.1 0.2 0.3

Question 21

log dilution

Answer 21

differ by a constat proportion eg 10-1 10-2 10-3

Question 22

monoclonal antibodies

Answer 22

stocks of identical antibodies that are specific to a particular antigen

Question 23

native gel electrophoresis

Answer 23

does not contain SDS and doesn’t denature so protiens are seperated by size shape and charge

Question 24

pathogenic

Answer 24

cause disease

Question 25

primary cell lines

Answer 25

limited division

Question 26

tumor cell lines

Answer 26

unlimited cell division

Question 27

reporter enzyme

Answer 27

an enzyme linked to an antibody specific to a particular antigen

Question 28

SDS PAGE

Answer 28

electrophoresis in which the gel contains SDS which gives all moleculte a negative charge and denatures them so they are seperated by size alone

Question 29

serum

Answer 29

vitally important as a source of growth factors

Question 30

standard curve

Answer 30

a graph that can be used to determine the concentration of an unknown solution

Question 31

turbidity

Answer 31

a measure of the degree to which a fluid loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended cells or particles

Question 32

vital staining

Answer 32

a harmless dye that stains all cells but only stays on the dead ones

Question 33

western blotting

Answer 33

an analytical technique used to identify and locate specific proteins in a sample of tissue based on their ability to bind to specific antibodies