What is pulse chase experiment?

Pulse-chase experiments are a common technique used in molecular biology to study the movement and localization of biomolecules within cells. The experiment involves labeling a specific molecule of interest with a radioactive or fluorescent label (the "pulse") and then following the fate of that molecule over time after removing the label (the "chase").

In a typical pulse-chase experiment, cells are first incubated with a radioactive or fluorescent tag that is incorporated into the molecule of interest during a short period of time (the pulse). After the pulse, the cells are washed and provided with unlabeled molecules to allow the tagged molecules to continue their normal trafficking and localization within the cell (the chase).

By tracking the movement of the labeled molecules over time, researchers can gain insights into the dynamic processes of synthesis, transport, and degradation of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and other biomolecules within cells. This technique has been widely used to study protein trafficking, membrane dynamics, and other cellular processes.