FAQ - How should I store my antibody / peptide upon arrival?

Shipping Conditions

All our antibodies are shipped lyophilized (vacuum freeze-dried) and are stable in this form without loss of quality at ambient temperatures for several weeks.
All HistoSure antibodies (monoclonal antibodies and affinity purified polyclonal antibodies) except from antisera contain 2% BSA and 0.05% azid for stabilization.

Unlabeled, biotin-labeled antibodies, and control proteins should be stored at 4°C before reconstitution. Do not store lyophilized samples in the freezer! Temperatures below zero may cause a loss of performance.
Fluorescence-labeled antibodies should be reconstituted immediately upon receipt. Long term storage (several months) may lead to aggregation.
Control peptides should be kept at -20°C before reconstitution.

Do not use frost-free freezers. Frost-free freezers repeatedly freeze and thaw to reduce frost-build-up which is exactly what should be avoided. For the same reason, antibody vials should be placed in an area of the freezer that has minimal temperature fluctuations, for instance towards the back of the freezer rather than on a door shelf.
Aliquot the antibody and store frozen (see long term storage). Avoid very small aliquots (below 10 µl). The smaller the aliquot, the more the stock concentration is affected by evaporation and adsorption of the antibody to the surface of the storage vial or tube. Adsorption leads to a substantial loss of activity.
The addition of glycerol to a final concentration of 50% lowers the freezing point of your stock and keeps your antibody at -20°C in liquid state.

Purified IgG should be stored between -20°C and -80°C. Adding a carrier protein like BSA will increase long term stability.

Crude antisera: With anti-microbials added, they may be stored at 4°C. However, frozen storage (between -20°C and -80°C) is preferable.
Affinity purified antibodies: Less robust than antisera. Storage between -20°C and -80°C is recommended.