Description
Introduction: BDNF is a 13 kDa, 119 amino acid (aa) residue non-glycosylated polypeptide whose primary structure is conserved among all mammalian species examined. Initially synthesized as a 247 aa residue prepropeptide, the BDNF molecule is divided into an 18 aa residue signal sequence, a 110 aa residue prosequence, and a 119 aa residue mature segment. Similar to other neurotrophic factors, there is a possibility that the N-terminus is alternatively spliced, giving rise to a longer pre-prosegment (but identical mature segment) with different functional properties. As a mature molecule, BDNF is 52% identical to NGF at the amino acid level, exists as a noncovalently-linked homodimer in solution, and contains six cysteine residues that are believed to form three intrachain disulfide linkages. BDNF in plasma is detected in the pg/mL
Principle of the Assay: The microtiter plate provided in this kit has been pre-coated with an antibody specific to BDNF. Standards or samples are then added to the appropriate microtiter plate wells with a Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) -conjugated antibody preparation specific for BDNF and incubated. Then substrate solutions are added to each well. The enzyme-substrate reaction is terminated by the addition of a sulphuric acid solution and the color change is measured spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 450 nm +/- 2 nm. The concentration of BDNF in the samples is then determined by comparing the O.D. of the samples to the standard curve