Lab supply companies have been selling antibodies using manipulated images
Image changes that would get a paper retracted are widespread among suppliers.
Antibodies, crucial components of the immune system, are also extensively utilized in biological research. Many of these antibodies are commercially available and can be promptly delivered. However, a recent discovery has brought to light the issue of manipulated images related to these antibodies. Reese Richardson, a post-doctoral researcher at Northwestern University, uncovered that the images showcasing the performance of these antibodies in lab experiments had been altered.
These manipulations included removing background noise, copying and pasting data, and even fabricating results. Richardson's initial search revealed instances of manipulation in images associated with over 17,000 commercial antibodies. Antibodies are beneficial in the lab as the immune system produces them to identify specific proteins.
Although the proteins usually reside on the surface of pathogens, the immune system cannot determine the origin of a particular protein it encounters. Consequently, if an animal is injected with a protein of interest, it will produce antibodies to recognize that specific protein.
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