Description
Intended Uses: ELISpot is a highly specific immunoassay for the analysis of cytokine and other soluble molecule production and secretion from T-cells at a single cell level in conditions closely comparable to the in-vivo environment with minimal cell manipulation. This technique is designed to determine the frequency of cytokine producing cells under a given stimulation and the comparison of such frequency against a specific treatment or pathological state. The ELISpot assay constitutes an ideal tool in the investigation of Th1 / Th2 responses, vaccine development, viral infection monitoring and treatment, cancerology, infectious disease, autoimmune diseases and tranplantation. Utilising sandwich immuno-enzyme technology, ELISpot assays can detect both secreted cytokines and single cells that simultaneously produce multiple cytokines. Cell secreted cytokines or soluble molecules are captured by coated antibodies avoiding diffusion in supernatant, protease degradation or binding on soluble membrane receptors. After cell removal, the captured cytokines are revealed by tracer antibodies and appropriate conjugates.
Principle of the Assay: Capture antibodies highly specific for the analyte of interest are coated to the wells of a PVDF bottomed 96 well microtitre plate either during kit manufacture or in the laboratory. The plate is then blocked to minimise any non-antibody dependent unspecific binding and finally washed before adding the cells to be investigated. Cell suspension and stimulant are added to the coated and blocked microtitre plate and the plate incubated allowing the specific antibodies to bind any analytes produced. Biotinylated detection antibodies are then added which bind to the previously captured analyte. Enzyme conjugated Streptavidin is added binding to the detection antibodies. Any excess unbound analyte and antibodies are removed by careful washing. Colour substrate is then applied to the wells resulting in coloured spots which can be quantified using appropriate analysis software or manually using microscopes