Silver staining is widely used to detect protein in polyacrylamide gels when 
high sensitivity is required. A simple and rapid protocol for silver staining of 
proteins following PAGE was developed in the present study. The number of steps 
was reduced compared to conventional protocol by combining fixing, rinsing, and 
soaking into a single impregnating step, thus achieving detection of proteins in 
20 min. The present method is as sensitive as current protocols with the 
advantage of saving time and costs.