Biochemical Techniques and Instrumentation

Detection of antigen by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs)

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are plate-based assays designed for the detection and quantification of substances such as peptides, proteins, antibodies and hormones. In the ELISA, the antigen of interest is immobilized by direct adsorption to the assay plate or by first attaching a capture antibody to the plate surface. Detection of the antigen can then be performed using an enzyme-conjugated primary antibody (direct detection) or a matched set of unlabeled primary antibody and conjugated secondary antibodies (indirect detection).