What is the purpose of adding Tween-20 to Tris Buffered Saline?

Tween-20 helps reduce non-specific protein binding, improving the clarity and accuracy of immunoassays, blotting procedures, and IHC staining.

When should I use TBST instead of TBS?

Use TBST when you need to minimize background noise or non-specific interactions, such as in Western blot washing steps or when diluting antibodies.

Can TBST affect antigen-antibody binding?

No, TBST is formulated to reduce non-specific interactions without interfering with specific antigen-antibody binding, making it ideal for sensitive immunoassays.

TBST Buffer

Tris Buffered Saline with Tween-20 (TBST) is a widely used buffer-surfactant solution designed to support pH stability and reduce non-specific binding in molecular biology and immunoassays. With a stable pH range of 7.4 to 8.0, TBST combines Tris and NaCl for pH and osmotic balance, and Tween-20, a non-ionic detergent, to improve assay specificity.

TBST is ideal for:

Blotting techniques such as Western blotting and in situ hybridization

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and antibody dilutions

Minimizing background noise without disrupting antigen-antibody interactions

Reduces non-specific binding to improve signal clarity
Maintains stable pH and protein structure
Supports sensitive detection in immunoassays and molecular workflows

Whether you're working on antibody-based detection, staining, or molecular diagnostics, TBST enhances assay performance, reproducibility, and signal-to-noise ratio.