immunanalytisk

Immunanalytisk refers to methods that use components of the immune system, particularly antibodies and antigens, to detect, quantify, or characterize substances. The field sits at the intersection of immunology and analytical chemistry and is widespread in clinical diagnostics, food safety, environmental monitoring, and research. Immunanalytiske assays rely on the specific binding between an antibody and its target, translating this interaction into a measurable signal such as a color change, fluorescence, luminescence, or radioactivity.

Principles and formats vary, but common features include the use of capture and detection reagents, and often a solid phase such as a microplate or membrane. In sandwich assays, two antibodies bind different epitopes on the target, increasing specificity. In competitive formats, labeled target or antibody competes with the sample for binding sites, enabling detection of small molecules. Readouts may be enzymatic, fluorescent, chemiluminescent, or radiometric, and results are typically quantified against standards or calibration curves.

Techniques frequently described as immunanalytiske include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioimmunoassay (RIA), immunofluorescence assays, chemiluminescence immunoassays, and lateral flow immunoassays (rapid tests). Multiplex immunoassays enable simultaneous measurement of several targets, expanding throughput and information.

Applications span clinical laboratories (hormones, infectious diseases, tumor markers, drug monitoring), food and water safety (pathogens, toxins, allergens), environmental analysis (pollutants, pesticides), and pharmaceutical quality control. Advantages include high specificity, sensitivity, and potential for automation; limitations involve cross-reactivity, matrix effects, the need for well-characterized antibodies, cost, and the requirement for proper validation and quality control.