Used primarily in biochemistry and molecular biology to reduce disulfide bonds in proteins and peptides, facilitating their denaturation or structural analysis. It is also employed in cell culture to prevent oxidative damage and maintain reducing conditions. Additionally, it serves as a chelating agent to remove metal ions that may interfere with enzymatic reactions or other biochemical processes. Its applications extend to DNA and RNA extraction protocols, where it helps in stabilizing nucleic acids by inhibiting nucleases.