Protein Labelling Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Global Industry Analysis: By Product (Reagents, Kits), By Method (In-vitro Labelling Methods, In-vivo Labelling Methods), By Application (Immunological techniques, Cell-based Arrays, Fluorescence Microscopy, Protein Microarray, Mass Spectroscopy), and Region Forecast 2020-2031

Protein Labelling Market size was valued at US$ 1,185 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 1,565 million by 2031, growing at a significant CAGR of 4.2% from 2025-2031. Moreover, the U.S. market is projected to grow significantly, reaching an estimated value of US$ 635 million by 2031.

The market encompasses a wide range of techniques and reagents used to attach detectable tags to proteins for their identification, tracking, or functional analysis in research and diagnostics. These labels such as fluorescent dyes, biotin, or radioactive isotopes enable scientists to study protein-protein interactions, cellular localization, and post-translational modifications in real time. With growing demand for advanced proteomics, cell-based assays, and molecular imaging in both academic and clinical settings, protein labelling has become an indispensable tool in life sciences. The market is witnessing steady growth driven by expanding biomedical research, increasing investments in personalized medicine, and innovations in non-radioactive and site-specific labelling technologies that improve sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of biological analysis.

Facts & Figures

• Fluorescent labelling remains a dominant detection strategy, enabling high-sensitivity visualization across microscopy and flow cytometry platforms.
• Click chemistry-based labelling is gaining traction for its biocompatibility, speed, and suitability in live-cell applications.
• North America continues to lead in adoption, driven by academic R&D, biopharma investment, and presence of key reagent developers.
• Labelling technologies are seeing increased demand from CROs and diagnostic developers focused on protein biomarker validation.

Key Developments 

• In July 2025, Thermo Fisher Scientific launched a next-generation protein labelling kit optimized for multiplex immunofluorescence in spatial biology workflows.
• In June 2025, Bio-Techne expanded its labelling reagent portfolio by acquiring a site-specific labelling technology from a European biotech startup.
• In May 2025, Abcam entered a collaboration with NanoView Biosciences to co-develop custom-labeled antibodies for exosome profiling.

Protein Labelling Market Segmentation

Based on the Product 

• Reagents
• Proteins

• Enzymes

• Probes/Tags

• Monoclonal Antibodies

• Other Reagents
• Kits
• Services

Reagents dominate the market due to their broad applicability across multiple workflows, ranging from immunoassays to mass spectrometry. Sub-segments such as fluorescent dyes, enzymes, probes, and monoclonal antibodies enable functional and spatial identification of proteins under a variety of experimental conditions. Researchers favor reagents for their versatility, batch-to-batch reproducibility, and adaptability to both in-vitro and in-vivo labelling formats. As demand rises for non-disruptive and site-selective tagging, manufacturers are refining formulations to enhance signal clarity, biocompatibility, and long-term stability. In particular, probes and antibody-based reagents are gaining traction in multiplex and live-cell assays, cementing reagents as the most consumed and commercially impactful product group in this market.

Based on the Methods 

• In-vitro Labelling Methods
  • Enzymatic Labelling
  • Dye-based Labelling
  • Co-translational Labelling
  • Site-specific Labelling
  • Nanoparticle Labelling
  • Others
• In-vivo Labelling Methods
  • Photoreactive Labelling
  • Radioactive Labelling
  • Others

Site-specific LabellingSite-specific labelling has emerged as the most precise and application-rich method in the protein labelling landscape. Unlike random labelling techniques, site-specific methods enable the attachment of tags at defined amino acid residues, maintaining protein conformation and biological activity. Techniques like unnatural amino acid incorporation, sortase-mediated ligation, and enzymatic bioconjugation are being adopted in research that demands low background noise and high fidelity. These methods are particularly valuable in live-cell imaging, therapeutic protein engineering, and single-molecule studies. As the industry trends toward functional protein assays and structural validation, site-specific labelling is setting a new benchmark in reproducibility, scalability, and real-time observation of molecular events.

Based on the Application 

• Immunological Techniques
• Cell-based Arrays
• Fluorescence Microscopy
• Protein Microarray
• Mass Spectrometry

Fluorescence microscopy remains a cornerstone application of protein labelling, enabling spatial and temporal visualization of proteins in live or fixed cells. The use of labeled antibodies, dyes, or fusion tags allows researchers to observe intracellular localization, interaction networks, and dynamic processes in real time. This technique plays a pivotal role in cell biology, neuroscience, and cancer research. Advances in super-resolution microscopy and live-cell imaging have further elevated the demand for highly photostable and specific labelling reagents. Fluorescence microscopy also benefits from innovations in site-specific and click-compatible labels, making it indispensable in experimental workflows that require high-throughput and high-content analysis.