ELISA and ELISPOT Assays

ELISA assays are sensitive, precise and quantitative assays that can be used to measure an antigen or an antibody, or generally, any macromolecule that binds another molecule or cell. Aragen Bioscience utilizes colorimetric, fluorescent, time-resolved, and homogenous (requiring no washing step) ELISA formats.

Enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assays are highly sensitive immunoassays that measure the frequency of individual cytokine-secreting cells. In these assays, cells are cultured on a surface coated with a specific capture antibody in the presence or absence of stimuli. Proteins, such as cytokines, that are secreted by the cells will be captured by the specific antibodies on the surface. After an appropriate incubation time, cells are removed and the secreted molecule is detected using a detection antibody in a similar procedure to that employed by the ELISA. The detection antibody is either biotinylated and followed by a streptavidin-enzyme conjugate or the antibody is directly conjugated to an enzyme. By using a substrate with a precipitating rather than a soluble product, the end result is visible spots on the surface. Each spot corresponds to an individual cytokine-secreting cell.