Narrow down your ELISA reagent choices

Faster Decisions

ELISA Design Considerations

The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) does not need an introduction. It is one of the most powerful assay techniques used for identification and quantification of soluble biomarkers such as proteins, peptides, antibodies, and hormones. There are a ton of potential solutions available for designing your own ELISA. This is very helpful, but it can be overwhelming at the same time. For an effective ELISA assay design, there are multiple considerations such as plate type selection, choice of detectors, ELISA type, and target abundance. If not chosen carefully, these factors can negatively impact the assay performance. It is much like making a sandwich (not sandwich ELISA!), where you need to select the type of bread, cheese, protein, vegetables, and dressing based on your uniquely preferred flavor profile.

If an ELISA is not built properly, it can lead to multiple issues. For example, non-specific binding may occur if antigen-antibody combo is not optimal. One may not achieve desired sensitivity and specificity if detection method is not rightly chosen. Lot-to-lot variability is another common issue leading to false positive and false negative results. It’s no wonder the choices of potential reagents to use are so numerous and making the decision can be overwhelming.

Tools and Resources Out there for ELISA

With decades of usage, there are numerous ELISA resources and other literature out there for helping you build your assay. But most of them are general guides and not specific to ones needs. That can still leave you with many questions such as, what is the right plate to use to get an optimal signal? What are the different detection methods to choose from and which is best for me? What about stop solution, is that always needed?

There is a great tool called the ELISA Builder which helps you make decisions while designing ELISA assays. The tool guides you on which component solutions to use based on a few simple questions. It asks you about detection method, plate preferences, ELISA type (direct, indirect or sandwich) etc. Based on your responses, the user-friendly tool configures the optimal component choices tailored to your assay requirements. 6 simple questions and you receive a list of components required for your ELISA. Not only that, but the tool also supports scientists with ordering products directly or downloading the results list in excel for ordering or reference later. Relevant protocols and guidelines are also available which can increase your efficiency by reducing the time required to sort through loads of resources elsewhere.

Build with Ease

Immunoassays are developing rapidly and there is new information coming in every second.  In this scenario, scientists can take advantage of tools like the ELISA Builder to gain efficiency while executing effective ELISA design assays. Tools like these allow scientist to focus on research and discovery by enabling convenient assay design and development.

 

Resources and Solutions for ELISA

• Overview of ELISA – Learn more about various ELISA strategies and formats
• ELISA protocols – Suggested protocols for running various types of ELISAs, including colorimetric and chemiluminescent detection
• ELISA troubleshooting guide – Find solutions to some of the most common ELISA problems
• ELISA kits – Explore our collection of different ELISA platforms from antibody pairs to various types of pre-coated kits

Additional blogs

1. 1. Why are Protocols Hard to Find?
   2. Two Applications One Instrument
   3. Is it a T-Cell or B-Cell? Antibodies for Immunophenotyping
   4. How Cell Images Enable More Accuracy in Flow Cytometry Data?

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.