Applications
High Speed, High Precision, Automated Immunoassays
For immunoassays, AssayMAP ELISA cartridges are used instead of microtiter wells as the solid phase. For this application, the cartridges are packed with non-porous polystyrene beads having a binding surface area similar to a microplate well. Samples & reagents are pumped at controlled flow rate through the bed for binding. Because the diffusion path for binding is limited to the space between the beads (on the order of 10's of microns vs. several millimeters in a microplate well), the speed is limited by reaction kinetics rather than mass transport, and the various steps of the assay can be completed in just a few minutes each. Assay turnaround time of the two systems may be compared by looking at the time required for each of the steps in the assay:
| Microplate | AssayMAP | |
|---|---|---|
| Coating Antibody | 60 min - overnight | 3 min |
| Block | 30 min | 1 min |
| Sample | 60 min | 8 min |
| Conjugate | 60 min | 3 min |
| Substrate Detection | 30 min | 5 min |
| Total | 240+ min | 20 min |
Detection in AssayMAP is accomplished by pumping substrate through the cartridge at a controlled flow rate, which reacts with the bound enzyme to produce product, which is collected in a microplate well and read in a standard plate reader. The sensitivity of the assay may be controlled by changing the substrate flow rate - reducing the flow rate gives the substrate longer time to react, yielding a stronger product signal for a given concentration, while higher flow rates enable higher concentration samples to stay within range.
The reagents used for AssayMAP-based immunoassays are identical to those used in standard microplate ELISA assays. Currently validated assays can be easily and directly converted to the AssayMAP format. In addition to improved speed and easy automation, the AssayMAP system also brings enhanced reproducibility, with assay CV's typically well under 5%. Learn more about our products. »
Integrated Microliter Separation & Sample Processing
AssayMAP MicroPrep cartridges may be used for microliter-scale separations and sample preparation with analytical instruments including plate readers, mass spectrometers and LC/MS systems. Virtually any chromatographic resin or other beaded matrix may be used in the AssayMAP cartridges, including:
- Immobilized antibodies
- Affinity ligands (such as streptavidin, protein A/G, lectins or IMAC)
- Selective adsorbent materials (such as ion exchange or reversed phase)
- Size exclusion & desalting
- Immobilized enzymes (such as proteases or glycosidases)
A typical application might include highly selective purification, enzymatic digestion and reversed-phase concentration/desalting steps of the resulting peptides in preparation for MS. These different steps are integrated on the AssayMAP platform into a single automated workflow, enabling multiple analytes from complex samples (such as cell culture supernatant or plasma) to be determined in a single run. Workflows on the AssayMAP may even include multiple wet chemical assays, ELISAs and LC/MS analysis, all run on the same samples on the same system. Learn more about our products. »
Join Us in Creating the Future of Bioanalysis Workflow Design
Workflow automation in sample processing is necessary to increase analytical efficiencies and to implement Design of Experiment and Quality by Design initiatives.
We are interested in hearing your ideas on the integration of laboratory workflow to improve bioanalytical experimental design, implementation and results. Contact us today to arrange a trial!