Antibodies ligand-binding assays

Note that controversies over the technical and clinical validation of immunohistochemistry have not been completely resolved. Whether or not this method should completely replace biochemical ligand-binding assays remains controversial. Despite this cautionary statement, it is true that the specificity of immunohistochemistry is theoretically valid because it is based on the use of well-characterized monoclonal antibodies raised against epitopes restricted to the ERs. 

Ligand-binding assay - hke RIA, ELISA and other types of competitive antigen -antibody-related methods - are broadly apphed to detect and quantify macromolecules in biomatrices. In addition, ceU-based assays and antibody titer determinations might be additional quantification methods for macromolecules. Several of these methods have already been used and established in clinical chemistry to determine levels of endogenous substrates in the past. Thus, it is a direct approach to use similar methods in the case of measurement of for example, recombinant analogues and other suitable biopharmaceuticals. 

Andersson, L.I. Application of molecularly imprinted polymers in competitive ligand binding assays for analysis of biological samples. In Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Man-made Mimics of Antibodies and Their Applications in Analytical Chemistry, Sellergren, B., Ed. Elsevier Amsterdam, 2001 341-354. 

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