A bioconvergence company provides immunoassay tests for antibodies (antibody assessment) with a variety of methods. An immunoassay test with identifying or quantifying qualities is used to detect the presence of an antigen in a solution is a type of immunochemical assay.
The most common use of these tests is in medical diagnosis and disease detection. Immunoassays are also used for definitive identification of compounds, including proteins and peptides, in forensic investigations.
Types of Immunoassays
Immunoassays are classified as either heterogeneous or homogeneous assays. In heterogeneous assays, antibodies react with both the tested antigen and with a “capture” or “incubating” antibody. In homogeneous assays, antibodies react only with the tested antigen.
Since they are based on immunological reactions, immunoassays measure the ability of antibodies and other antigens to bind to each other. Since no reaction occurs unless at least one antigen is bound, immunoassays are more quantitative than qualitative in their results.
A bioconvergence company uses an immunoassay test with kits for antibodies with a variety of methods.
Test Types
Tested on a range of specimens, the following immunoassay tests were found to be reliable and consistent. The test materials include conjugated serum antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, and radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIA) kits.
There are three main test types as follows:
All tests are liquid-based for easy transport and easy use in any lab environment. The following types of test should be used for qualitative detection and qualitative:
- ELISA
- RIA
- IFA
All of the tests were performed in accordance with standard operating procedures as recommended by the manufacturer and were all found to be reliable and consistent even in host immune response. The test materials, however, are sensitive to variations in temperature, pH and time of use, which may alter test results.
Types of Reactions Required in the Tests
The following are the types of reactions necessary to run each test:
- Application of sample and incubation time.
- Application of test material and incubation time.
- Solubilization, usually by addition of a liquid solvent, is termed “washing” or “washing out” by new samples after every four to six results that are obtained from the previous day’s samples in an ELISA unit.
Each test is based on a reaction or response of the sample and the test material(s), wherein:
- The reaction is followed by a quantitative or qualitative test that will give either a numerical or visual output. This is called an “isotopic assay”, which has been done for many years, since before the use of immunoassays
- The incubation time varies from 1–72 hours depending on the particular test prescribed. Increasing the incubation time will increase the amount of sample per test, but decrease sensitivity. The solvent may be added to remove any contaminant binds to be washed away.
ELISA Tests
The following are the types of reactions necessary for each ELISA/IFA:
- Application of sample and incubation time.
- Application of test material and incubation time.
- Solubilization, usually by addition of a liquid solvent, termed “washing” or “washing out” by new samples after every four to six results that are obtained from the previous day’s samples in an ELISA unit. If there are not enough new samples, then washing by overnight storage may be needed instead.
RIA Tests
The following are the types of reactions necessary for each RIA:
- Application of sample and incubation time.
- Application of test material and incubation time (if needed).
- “Washing” or “washing out” by new samples after every four to six results that are obtained from the previous day’s samples in an RIA unit if there are not enough new samples, then washing by overnight storage may be needed instead. The amount of washing will vary with each test, which is why it is necessary to initialise all reagents into a new tube before its use every day in an IFA or ELISA unit to ensure consistency as well as quality control.
IFA Tests
The following are the types of reactions necessary for each IFA:
- Application of sample and incubation time.
- Application of test material and incubation time (if needed).
- Solubilization, usually by addition of a liquid solvent, termed “washing” or “washing out” by new samples after every four to six results that are obtained from the previous day’s samples in an IFA unit, if there are not enough new samples, then washing by overnight storage may be needed instead.
An Overview of How Immunoassays Work
Immunoassay is primarily used for measuring the concentration of a host immune response in a system. The principle behind all immunoassays includes the interaction between antigen and antibody.
An antigen binds to an antibody which then undergoes a reaction, whereby the Fc region of the antibody can be utilized to form a more stable bond with protein A or protein G. These proteins are used as coupling agents and will impart some sort of conjugation across two portions of the two molecules.
The availability and ease of use of immunoassays has made them a valuable tool in medical diagnosis, especially in point-of-care testing.
Phlebotomists draw blood from patients, separate serum from whole blood and prepare it for analysis in an immunoassay. Within minutes they can determine relevant information such as enzyme levels, host immune response, hormone levels or drug usage.