Loading control antibodies provide a benchmark signal to compare to experimental signals when performing a western blot, acting as an internal reference for total protein content. The primary function of loading control antibodies is to verify that protein samples are loaded equally onto the gel during SDS-PAGE, though they also account for inconsistent protein transfer and irregular signal detection. A loading control is therefore an essential control to determine if differences observed between samples are due to genuine biological variation or experimental error. Selecting the appropriate loading control antibody for your western blot experiment requires consideration of a number of factors, including the molecular weight of the protein of interest to avoid overlap of bands, the type of cells or tissue being analyzed, and the level of expression. Most importantly, loading control antibodies should detect proteins that are not affected by experimental conditions, such as drug treatments or genetic knockouts. See our guides on loading controls or western blot controls for more information on choosing the perfect loading control for your experiment, and check out our range of loading control antibodies for specific sample types such as Nuclear Loading Controls, Mitochondrial Loading Controls, Plasma Membrane Loading Controls, and Serum Loading Controls.