Immunosorbent

Also known as the ELISA, the process of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is a popular format of analytic biochemisty assay that uses a single subtype of heterogeneous solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (also known as EIA) to detect the presence of an antigen (or a specific substance) in a wet or liquid sample.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is typically used as a diagnostic tool in medicine and plant pathology, and a quality-control checking method in various industries that involve biochemistry. The process of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay entails the attempt to both detect and quantify the presence of an antigen in a sample by following a specific set of steps. First, the antigens from the sample are attached to a surface. A further specific antibody will then be applied over the surface to help it bind to the antigen. The antibody used in the process is linked to an enzyme, and in the final step of the process, to a substance with the enzyme’s substrate. The process will result to a subsequent reaction, which produces a detectable signal—typically a color change in the enzyme’s substrate that was added in the final step.

There are different types of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: the indirect, the sandwich, multiple and portable, and the competitive ELISA. These types of assay processes can be used for various purposes, and are typically available in kits that are relatively easy to use.

The ELISA can also be used to detect and evaluate the process of an antibody in the sample, which means that it can be used to determine serum antibody concentrations in tests for the HIV or the West Nile Virus. Food industries also rely in this test to detect potential allergens in items such as milk, peanuts, almonds, eggs, and walnuts.

This category contains scientific information of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a type of test that determines the antigen and antibody concentration in a certain sample.