What Does ICAT Stand For?

ICAT stands for Isotope Coded Affinity Tag

ICAT, or Isotope Coded Affinity Tag, is a mass spectrometry-based method used for the quantitative analysis of proteins in complex mixtures. It employs isotopically labeled tags that selectively bind to specific functional groups of proteins, enabling researchers to differentiate and quantify proteins based on their isotopic signatures. This technique facilitates the study of protein expression levels across different biological samples, contributing significantly to proteomics and biomarker discovery.