What are wells used for in electrophoresis?

Wells in electrophoresis serve the specific and essential function of loading samples into the gel. When conducting electrophoresis, researchers are typically separating DNA, RNA, or proteins based on their size and charge. The wells are strategically created in the gel matrix to allow for the introduction of these samples. Once the samples are loaded into the wells, an electric current is applied, causing the molecules to migrate through the gel. This migration leads to separation based on their molecular characteristics, which can then be visualized and analyzed after the run.

The other options, while they may pertain to certain aspects of gel electrophoresis, do not accurately reflect the primary role of wells. For instance, enhancing gel stability or increasing gel thickness relates to the physical properties and preparation of the gel itself rather than the function of wells. Similarly, modifying the pH of samples concerns the chemistry of the solution rather than the act of sample loading. Thus, the loading of samples directly into the wells is the correct and specific use of wells in the context of electrophoresis.