How do you permeabilize a cell?

To permeabilize a cell is to puncture the cell membrane. This is an essential step in immunological staining as it facilitates the entry of antibodies into the cell through the membrane. Two most common agents used to achieve permeabilization are the detergents Triton-X 100 or Tween-20. Typically these detergents are dissolved in PBS solution for a larger volume, to enable incubation of the entire sample.