Protein research · 3 min read

See the wells, follow the marker, visualize the gel

Understand the different roles of WellTracker, protein markers and Coomassie staining.

Make each tool serve a clear purpose

WellTracker, a prestained protein marker and a protein stain act at different points in a gel workflow. WellTracker is formulated to help make SDS-PAGE wells visible during loading. A protein marker provides a molecular-weight reference. Fast Coomassie Blue Staining Solution is intended to visualize proteins in a gel.

Match the marker to the document

The supplied Prestained Protein Marker flyer describes the PM12 product: 12 bands spanning 10–245 kDa, with green and red reference bands at 25 and 75 kDa. The catalog also includes PM11, Prestained Protein Marker II, with a different 8–270 kDa range and band pattern. The PM12 flyer should not be used as the band reference for PM11.

Keep visualization steps separate

The WellTracker flyer describes a dye that migrates with bromophenol blue. It is a loading aid, not a substitute for a molecular-weight marker or protein stain. Fast Coomassie Blue is supplied as a ready-to-use gel-staining solution; its flyer describes a formulation without methanol or acetic acid. Follow its datasheet for the actual staining procedure.

Build a traceable gel record

Record the marker catalog number alongside the gel image. This preserves the connection between the experiment and the correct band pattern, especially when more than one marker is available in the laboratory.

Related tools

Related EcoTech products

Source flyers

WellTrackerOpen flyer (PDF)

Prestained Protein MarkerOpen flyer (PDF)

Fast Coomassie Blue Staining SolutionOpen flyer (PDF)

Based on EcoTech product documentation and supplied flyers. Follow the current product datasheet for product-specific instructions.