TWEEN^® 20

Tween^® 20 is a nonionic surfactant and detergent widely applied in molecular biology, biochemical, and life science research. Its predominant use involves the solubilization of membrane proteins during the isolation of membrane-protein complexes. Additionally, it serves as a component in various washing, blocking, dilution, and stabilization buffers. Additionally, it functions as a reagent for immunohistochemistry, encompassing techniques like Western blotting and ELISAs. In these applications, Tween 20 plays crucial roles such as preventing non-specific antibody binding, minimizing background staining, and ensuring the even distribution of reagents.

Surfactants, possessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components, fall into two main categories: ionic, which ionize in water (anionic, cationic, or ampholytic), and nonionic, which do not ionize. The discussed product is a nonionic surfactant with diverse applications such as emulsification, dispersion, solubilization, and detergent use. Additionally, it can serve as a solubilizer for membrane proteins.

Tween^®20 is a polyoxyethylene sorbitol ester that belongs to the polysorbate family. It is a nonionic detergent having a molecular weight of 1,225 daltons, assuming 20 ethylene oxide units, 1 sorbitol, and 1 lauric acid as the primary fatty acid. The ethylene oxide subunits are responsible for the hydrophilic nature of the surfactant, while the hydrocarbon chains provide the hydrophobic environment. Sorbitol forms the backbone ring to which the ethylene oxide polymers are attached.

Non-ionic detergent

TWEEN 20 is widely used in biochemical applications. It has been used:

• As an emulsifying agent for the preparation of stable oil-in-water emulsions
• In pre-extraction of membranes to remove peripheral proteins (used at 2% for extraction of membrane-bound proteins)
• As a blocking agent for membrane based immunoassays at a typical concentration of 0.05%
• For lysing mammalian cells at a concentration of 0.005 to 0.5%
• Along with PBS in the dilution of antibodies in immunohistochemistry technique
• For washing cells in FISH (Fluorescence in situ hybridization) technique

TWEEN 20 is miscible in water (100mg/mL), yielding a clear, yellow solution. It is also miscible with alcohol, dioxane, and ethyl acetate. TWEEN 20 is insoluble in liquid paraffin and fixed oils.

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TWEEN is a registered trademark of Croda International PLC

TWEEN 20 may not be stable to autoclaving, particularly with metal cations in buffer solutions. Autoclaving is not recommended without testing for changes in properties. TWEEN 20 is heat sensitive and will darken when exposed to elevated temperatures. Polysorbates have been reported to be incompatible with alkalis, heavy metal salts, phenols, and tannic acid. They may also reduce the activity of many preservatives. Aqueous solutions of polysorbates undergo autoxidation during storage, with changes being catalyzed by light, increased temperature, and copper sulfate.