Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is a laboratory technique used to detect and measure the concentration of a specific substance in a sample. It is a type of immunoassay, a biochemical test that uses antibodies to detect the presence of a specific substance. EIA is a sensitive and specific method for detecting and quantifying a wide range of substances, including hormones, drugs, toxins, and viruses.
In an EIA, a sample is first incubated with a specific antibody that binds to the substance being tested for. The antibody is usually labeled with an enzyme, such as horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase. The enzyme catalyzes a chemical reaction that produces a measurable signal, such as a color change or the production of a fluorescent or chemiluminescent compound.
There are several types of EIA, including radioimmunoassay (RIA), which uses radioactively labeled antibodies, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which is a type of EIA that uses an enzyme-linked antibody to capture the substance being tested for.
EIA has several advantages over other methods of detection. It is relatively simple to perform, requires relatively small amounts of sample, and can be highly sensitive, detecting substances at very low concentrations. It is also relatively specific, meaning that it is unlikely to produce false positive or false negative results.
EIA is widely used in clinical laboratories to diagnose diseases, monitor treatment, and perform research. It is also used in environmental testing to detect pollutants and toxins, and in food safety testing to detect pathogens and contaminants.
Overall, enzyme immunoassay is a powerful and widely used technique for detecting and quantifying specific substances in a variety of samples. It is an important tool in the fields of medicine, environmental science, and food safety.
Immunoassay Definition & Meaning
Your healthcare provider should be able to give you a time frame in which to expect the results, and whether you will be notified, should call to check, or can receive them electronically. Alternatively, immobilization onto soluble magnetic microspheres can provide increased total surface area leading to higher sensitivity as well as to faster reaction times, as diffusion from the solution phase onto the surface of the microwell is no longer the limiting factor. Immunofiltration tests are also popular in developing countries, because they are inexpensive and do not require constant refrigeration of the dried reagents. Vaccines against hantaviral infections have been used for years in China and Korea, but not in Europe or the Americas. When free Ag is present in a sample, the free Ag competes with the Ag-conjugated enzyme for antibody binding with increasing Ag leading to increasing enzymatic activity as depicted in Fig. Dextroamphetamines are stimulants—substances that increase the activity of a living organism or one of its…. The substrate may be a colorless molecule that is converted into a colored end product or an inactive fluorescent molecule that fluoresces after enzyme activation.
Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique
Hantaviruses show extensive serological cross-reactivity, especially within each of the three virus subgroups murid, arvicolid, and sigmodontine borne; Table 1 , but for accurate typing, neutralization tests are needed. Similar data for alternative enzyme immunoassays can be obtained from the respective companies. A particular colour change occurs or fluorescence which indicates the presence of the antigen. Provided that suitable monoclonal antibodies exist, competitive immunoassays can measure antibodies against single epitopes e. The presence of appropriate symptoms prior to stool testing is critical because C. As the fluid flows through the test strip, it rehydrates the reagents. Fluorescence can be detected by either a fluorescence microscope or a spectrophotometer.
Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA): Uses, Side Effects, Procedure, Results
Cone, in Handbook of Analytical Separations, 2008 2. An increased amount of substrate will increase the rate of reaction with enzymes, however once past a certain point, the rate of reaction will level out because the amount of active sites available has stayed constant. The color change can occur in response to a very small quantity of the substance being tested, making these tests very sensitive. The method of immunofiltration has been adapted in the development of immunochromatographic assays, commonly known as lateral flow tests or strip tests. Progress curve experiments were widely used in the early period of enzyme kinetics, but are less common now. In immunofiltration, a large volume of fluid is passed through a porous membrane into an absorbent pad.
