Citrate, is used as an anticoagulant and also used as a biological buffer. It is often used to prepare sodium citrate buffer for antigen retrieval of tissue samples. The citrate solution is designed to break protein cross-links, thus, unmasking antigens and epitopes in formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tissue sections, resulting in enhancing staining intensity of antibodies. Citrate has anticoagulant activity and as a calcium chelator, it forms complexes that disrupt the tendency of blood to clot.
This Thermo Scientific Chemicals brand product was originally part of the Alfa Aesar product portfolio. Some documentation and label information may refer to the legacy brand. The original Alfa Aesar product / item code or SKU reference has not changed as a part of the brand transition to Thermo Scientific Chemicals.