Protran nitrocellulose (NC) membranes are the most frequently specified transfer media in the world for a wide range of applications. Protran membranes are manufactured using 100% pure nitrocellulose to ensure the highest binding capacity possible. Other membranes referred to as "nitrocellulose" may actually contain large amounts of cellulose acetate, which will lower the protein binding capacity. Protran membranes have outstanding handling strength, and are compatible with a variety of detection methods, including isotopic, chemiluminescent (luminol-based), colorimetric, and fluorescent. Unlike PVDF membranes, Protran nitrocellulose does not require a methanol prewetting step. This makes Protran the membrane of choice for proteins, which prefer aqueous environments. Prior to transfer, the membrane is simply wetted in water, and then placed in the transfer buffer. No other pretreatment steps are necessary. In addition to high binding capacity, Protran nitrocellulose membranes inherently have very low background. The surface properties of the membrane enable outstanding signal-to-noise ratios, without the need for stringent washing conditions. The 0.45 µm pore size membrane (BA85) is suitable for larger molecular weight samples. A key benefit of the proprietary Protran nitrocellulose formula is the proven shelf life of bound proteins. Empirical evidence shows that proteins maintain molecular recognition activity for five years on Protran.