Deciding what ELISA technique is right for you depends on several factors. Look at the major techniques of ELISA assays and the types of ELISAs to choose the best ELISA for you.
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| Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) |
What is an ELISA and How to Decide Which ELISA Technique is Right for You?
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing has become a powerful technique for detecting antibodies in biological samples. Deciding what ELISA technique is right or best for you depends on several factors, the most important of which are the specifics of your assay analysis. The samples to be considered also play an important role in determining what ELISA technique is to be used for measurement. To decide what ELISA technique is best suited for you, we would look at the major techniques of ELISA assays and the types of ELISAs to choose the best ELISA for you.
What are ELISA Techniques?
Simply put, ELISA techniques are a group of procedures that involve the use of antibodies to detect the presence of one or multiple antigens. ELISA techniques can be used in many scientific fields, including research and development, clinical trials, quality control, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. ELISA techniques are experimental assays that are used to detect the presence of specific target proteins in a sample. ELISA assays are very accurate with their results, very effective in processing, and cost-effective. The ELISA techniques include competitive ELISA, non-competitive ELISA, sandwich ELISA, and indirect competitive ELISA. We would be looking at some of them in-depth to enable you to choose which technique is right for you
Competitive ELISA
Competitive ELISA is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that determines the concentrations of certain target molecules in a sample. Competitive ELISA is also known as radioimmunoassay (RIA) and Western blotting. Competitive ELISA relies on antibodies that have been bound to solid surfaces and can detect one substance per time. Titrations are also run alongside competitive ELISAs to confirm or reject results and ensure that binding was complete during each experiment stage. The competitive ELISA is used to solve two main problems: determining the amount of antigen or antibody in a complex solution. And to detect antibodies or antigens in body fluids (e.g., blood, serum, tears) that are not easily accessible.
Non-competitive ELISA
Non-competitive ELISA is a variation of the more common competitive ELISA. The difference between the two tests is in how they detect antibodies. Competitive ELISA tests for an antibody in a sample that has been exposed to an antigen, while non-competitive ELISA tests for an antibody that has not been exposed to an antigen. Noncompetitive ELISAs are more sensitive than competitive ELISAs because they do not require the use of a conjugate. Non-competitive ELISAs measure antibodies to hormones, toxins, and infectious agents.
Sandwich ELISA
Sandwich ELISA is a technique in which two antibodies bind antigens. This enables the specific detection of an antigen. Sandwich ELISA is done in three steps. The first step is to capture the antigen using one antibody and immobilize it on a solid surface. In the second step, the second antibody, labeled with an enzyme, is added to detect this antigen. The third step consists of adding a substrate that triggers the enzyme's reaction with the substrate. The Sandwich ELISA is among the most commonly used ELISAs.
Indirect Competitive ELISA
Indirect Competitive ELISA is an analytical method for detecting antibodies in biological samples. Indirect competitive ELISA tests are used to measure antibodies in human serum samples. A conventional ELISA test requires setting up plates with different antigens and sera. Still, with indirect competitive ELISA, only one plate is necessary as the antigen competes with the standard for binding sites on the solid support. This means that more samples can be processed in parallel, reducing the cost per test.
After understanding the ELISA techniques, you would need kits for carrying out your assay using any of the techniques you have decided right for you. We would be looking at these ELISA kits PLAT ELISA, MPO ELISA, and ADA ELISA for the different techniques and assay analysis.
Human PLAT
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| Human PLAT/TPA PicoKine ELISA Kit standard curve. Image credit: Bosterbio |
The Human PLAT ELISA has 96 wells per kit with removable strips; the kit is also known as TPA ELISA Kit PicoKine. These samples are assayed using the human PLAT kit cell culture supernatants, serum, plasma (heparin, EDTA, citrate), and urine. Humans are the reactive species of the kit. The Human PLAT has a sensitivity of less than ten pg/ml with an assay range of 31.2 pg/ml - 2,000 pg/ml.
Human MPO ELISA
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| Human MPO PicoKine ELISA Kit standard curve. Image credit: Bosterbio |
Human MPO ELISA is also known as Myeloperoxidase ELISA Kit PicoKine. The kit has 96 wells per kit with removable strips. The kit works on these sample types cell culture supernatants, cell lysate, serum, plasma (heparin, EDTA), saliva, and urine. The Human MPO ELISA has a sensitivity of 10pg/ml and an assay range of 312 pg/ml - 20,000 pg/ml.
Human ADA ELISA
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| Human ADA PicoKine ELISA Kit standard curve. Image credit: Bosterbio |
The Human ADA ELISA Kit is also known as Adenosine Deaminase ELISA Kit PicoKin. The kit has 96 wells per kit with removable strips. The kit works on these sample types of cell culture supernatants, serum, and pleural fluid, with a sensitivity of 10pg/ml and an assay range of 31.2 pg/ml - 2,000 pg/ml.