Friday, August 15, 2014

Elements To Consider When Purchasing ELISA Test Kits

By Annabelle Holman


To figure out whether antibodies and antigens exist in a particular specimen you require a chemistry technique alluded to as Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The method has been used for a long time in the pharmaceuticals field. ELISA test kits are utilized for hypersensitivities, diabetes, steroids, tumor, parasitology, fertility, thyroid, immune system ailments and other maladies.

Before buying ELISA units you have to guarantee they meet a few prerequisites. You have to get the right test arrangement. It is crucial to have the right compartments and additionally the design for your analysis should be good. There are many formats to choose from when you are getting started on your project.

One of the most common formats is referred to as sandwich assay. It is named so because there are two different antibodies that sandwich the antigen. This format is popular because it is robust and sensitive. There are many times when this format is not appropriate especially if the antigen is small. It is difficult to attach antibodies which are bulky to a small antigen.

The next feature you need to consider is the types of antibodies. You can utilize polyclonal antibodies as well as monoclonal antibodies in ELISAs. At times it is advisable to use a combination of both. There are several factors you need to consider when choosing antibodies. When you using a sandwich assay then you might want to try the polyclonal antibody for the capture process and the monoclonal ones for detection. By doing this you will able to capture all antigens and then utilize the antibodies that are monoclonal to detect specific antigens.

It is important to confirm that the detection and capture antibodies are making a good team. When using a sandwich assay it is important to ensure that the detection and capture antibodies are not competing for one binding site. They should be able to recognize various epitopes which are not overlapping. If there is any interferences then the results will be skewed. A sure way of avoiding this problem is buying an already matched pair. You will find many antibody suppliers who can help you out.

Another factor to consider is interference and cross reactivity. If antibodies on the animal are compatible this could cause cross reactivity. It is easy to get antibodies for the animal that you are working with. You should always note if the cross reactivity might cause any issues. When you are working with the sandwich format it is important to match the primary detection antibodies with the secondary ones that are used for detection.

It is also important to figure out what is in the blocking as well as the washing buffers. Sometimes they may contain compounds that are likely to alter interaction of the antibodies and the antigens. The final factor to consider is detection. There are several ways of detecting binding. You need to find a kit that utilizes detection that you prefer.

All these features can be explained in details. If you have any questions you should address them to the company representatives. They have a lot of knowledge about the kits and which situations they are best used in. You can also read the technical specifications online.




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