ELISA test & monoclonal antibodies

• Monoclonal antibodies - group of antibodies that are all complementary to the same antigen - specific for one antigen. They have all derived from the same original plasma cell
• monoclonal antibody = a single type of antibody with the same tertiary structure that can be isolated and cloned
• Elisa test -

  • An enzyme is attached to antibodies
  • When this enzyme reacts with a certain substrate, a coloured product is formed, causing the solution in the reaction vessel to change colour
  • If a colour change occurs, this shows that the antigen or antibody of interest is present in the sample being tested