Glossary

Control Sample - The control in a science experiment is a sample that remains the same throughout the experiment. The control must remain the same or equal at all times in order to receive accurate results.

Electrophoresis - A laboratory technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or protein molecules based on their size and electrical charge. An electric current is used to move molecules to be separated through a gel. Pores in the gel work like a sieve, allowing smaller molecules to move faster than larger molecules.

Ligase - An enzyme that can catalyze the joining (ligation) of two large molecules by forming a new chemical bond.

Media/Medium - Culture medium or growth medium is a liquid or gel designed to support the growth of microorganisms.

Negative Regulator - Regulatory elements that repress transcription.

Nuclear Factor kappa B (NFkB) - An ancient protein transcription factor that is considered a regulator of innate immunity. The NFkB signaling pathway links pathogenic signals and cellular danger signals thus organizing cellular resistance to invading pathogens.

Passage (cells) - The removal of the medium and transfer of cells from a previous culture into fresh growth medium, a procedure that enables the further propagation of the cell line or cell strain.

Primary antibody - A primary antibody is a molecule that specifically binds to a particular protein or other biomolecule of research interest for the purpose of purifying or detecting and measuring it.

Transcription - The process of making an RNA copy of a gene sequence. This copy, called a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule, leaves the cell nucleus and enters the cytoplasm, where it directs the synthesis of the protein, which it encodes.