I am sorry if my question should be common sense, I am a first year student.
I am trying to understand exactly what a Western Blot test determines. In my book it says that a protein has a "lock and key fit with its protein target" and is found by dipping the membrane in a solution with an antibody. In my mind this makes it sound like the test locates the protein by seeing if it fits with its antibody....it does not sound like the test just locates the antibody.
I recall that Western Blot tests are used when testing for Herpes and HIV but every site that I find describing the specific test for these two viruses says the western blot test does not locate the virus itself but only the antibody. From what i read in my book it makes it sound as if the western blot test finds the virus itself by seeing if it binds to its corresponding antibody. So now I am completely confused.
Can anyone who understands my confusion clear things up a little bit?
