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Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Definition

An immunoassay format in which an enzyme-conjugated antibody produces a measurable colour change on substrate addition. Developed in 1971, adopted in forensic laboratories from the 1980s for body-fluid identification, species determination, and drug detection.

Related terms

ABO blood group system
Classification of red blood cells by the presence or absence of A and B antigens on the cell membrane, determined by alleles...
Lateral-flow immunoassay
A point-of-care competitive immunochromatographic format on a nitrocellulose strip. In the absence of drug, colloidal gold-labelled antibody is captured at a test...
Monoclonal antibody
An antibody produced from a single B-cell clone, recognising a single specific epitope. In forensic species identification, monoclonal antibodies offer higher specificity...
Precipitin test
A serological method in which an antiserum specific to one species' proteins is mixed with an extract of an unknown specimen. Formation...
Radioimmunoassay (RIA)
An immunological quantification method developed in the late 1950s in which a radiolabelled antigen competes with unlabelled antigen for antibody binding sites....

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