Disaster! - Wrong temperature for antibody (Apr/23/2007 )

An antibody was kept in 4 degrees for several days (it came while I was ill), while it should be frozen. Is it completely unusable now, or just the shell life shortened?

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The only way to know for sure is to try it and see how it works. Storing at 4C instead of at -20C is probably better than the other way around.

Ceri

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Sounds like lyophylized AB, so not yet in solution. I agree with Ceri, test it. I Would gues the AB still works!

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It'll be fine.

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no disaster; I can´t imagine that an Ab is really instable at 4°C short term storage;

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Thank you all, I am really relieved. I'll test it ASAP though

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usually they are quite sterile when they are brand new, it will start to degrade after several opening of the vial if there is no preservative. So, don't worry.
I have some antibodies that are in the fridge for 10 years now, and I don't even know if there was some preservative inside, but they still work.

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Really?! Ten years and they still work? Did you have them at 4 or -20. Openned vials? Aliqouts? With or without glycerol? Sorry, with all the questions but I have discovered some quite interesting antibodies in the labs fridge and deep fridge (meaning -20) and I was wondering if they will work because I could get away with ordering new...!
Thanks

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they were at 4°C.
no glycerol (glycerol is only to store at -20°C without freezing.)
I think the good point was that nobody used them so much, they stayed closed almost all the time.
before to order new one, try your old stock.

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Thanks Missele

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