Total cellular protein vs cell number

[Jeff Rawlings]

In article <sg-0503952030370001 at pc030.surgery.nwu.edu>, sg at nwu.edu
(Stephen Gately) wrote:

> I am trying to quantitate a cell-associated protein, and want to
> standardize it.  Does anyone have any suggestions on whether I should
> standardize to cell number or to total cellular protein?
> 
> Thanks

I would standardize based on total protein. The reason: I think that
percent of total protein should vary less than amount of protein per cell.
Cells come in many ages, shapes, sizes, and are sometimes unhealthy, etc.
All of that can introduce variation in amount of protein per cell.

When I did a similar experiment, I used a Western, with I-125 labeled
secondary antibody, to quantitate. (I also used a phosphorimager, which
makes quantitation much simpler).

Cheers,
--Jeff

-- 
Jeff Rawlings                                   Internet Consultant
rawlings at silcom.com                                             and
rawlings at cco.caltech.edu                         Research Biologist