Who invented ELISA?
Two different teams led by Stratis Avrameas and G. B. Pierce in the 1960s laid the groundwork for the enzyme linking process. In the same period, immunosorbent preparation techniques were published by Wide and Jerker Porath. Following which, scientists in Sweden (Peter Perlmann and Eva Engvall at Stockholm University) and the Netherlands (Anton Schuurs and Bauke van Weemen) generated knowledge that goes into making ELISAs.
Before ELISA, radioimmunoassay employing radioactively labeled antigens and antibodies were used. Radioactivity served as the reporter signal indicating specific antigen or antibody. As radioimmunoassay posed significant health risks to researchers, alternatives were sought.
H2: What is the principle behind ELISA?
ELISA works by coupling antibodies or antigen to assay enzyme. The assay combines the specificity of antibody and sensitivity of assay enzymes to primarily detect antigens through assay antibodies or antibodies through assay antigens.
The sensitivity and precision of the assay is enhanced by coating the plate with high-affinity antibodies.