ELISA Test

• What is the ELISA test?

  A medical diagnostic test that uses antibodies
• ELISA stands for?

  Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent Assay
• What does the ELISA test allow you to see?


  If a patient has any antibodies to a certain antigen or any antigen to a certain antibody
• What can the ELISA test be used to test for?


  Pathogenic infections, for allergies, and for anything you can make an antibody for
• What is used in an ELISA test?

  -An antibody is used which has an enzyme attached to it

  -This enzyme can react with a substrate to produce a coloured product

  -This causes the solution in the reaction vessel to CHANGE COLOUR
• What does a colour change demonstrate?

  The antigen or antibody of interest is present in the sample being tested
• Give an example of a sample being tested?

  blood plasma
• In some types of ELISA, what can be worked out and how?


  The quantity of this antigen/antibody can be worked out from the intensity of the colour change
• what are the different types of ELISA?

  • Direct ELISA
  • Indirect ELISA
• What does Direct ELISA use?

  A single antibody that is complementary to the antigen being tested for
• What does Indirect ELISA use?

  Two different antibodies
• Why is indirect ELISA different to direct ELISA?

  Uses two different antibodies