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Creative Biolabs is a world-leading services provider in the field of microfluidic chip development. With our well-established platform, the experienced scientists here at Creative Biolabs are dedicated to helping you develop microfluidic chips with the highest quality standards for homogeneous immunoassay.

Introduction of Homogeneous Immunoassay

Homogeneous immunoassay is a straightforward immunocomplex formation between the un-immobilized antigen and antibody. This immunocomplex must produce a change in the label signal. No separation step is required to distinguish between the bound and unbound states of the immune species. Homogeneous immunoassays are being used for analytes with relatively high concentrations (e.g., therapeutic drugs in the blood). They are particularly effective in partly purified samples (environmental water and food) containing interferences that reduce the sensitivity of the assay.

Homogeneous Immunoassays Using Microfluidic Chips

The most popular form of homogeneous immunoassay is based on capillary electrophoresis (CE) due to their compatibility with electrokinetic fluid manipulation and fast electrophoretic separation, combined with great capability for integrated sample preparation and enormous potential for multiplexing. For instance, a CE-based microchip incorporated with microchannels for sample/reagent loading and Ab/complex separation has been developed for detecting protein biotoxins (sample). Using this method, this immunoassay can be performed within a few min with a minimal sample volume and a minimum detection limit. This microchip could also be used to determine collagen-cleaving enzyme matrix metalloproteinase for rapid saliva-based clinical diagnostics.

Fig. 1 Digital microfluidic platform for immunology analysis.¹

Many concentration strategies, such as using a preconcentration membrane or isotachophoresis (ITP) to stack the target analytes, are used to improve the sensitivity of homogeneous immunoassays. For instance, the “electrokinetic analyte transport assay” microchip in which ITP is performed for on-chip concentration, mixing, and reaction, followed by electrophoretic separation and detection in the downstream channel, can be developed for AFP detection. In summary, these on-chip immunoassays have a great potential to provide a rapid, sensitive, portable, and cost-effective method for both clinical and research applications.

Fig. 2 Microfluidic immunology analysis.²

Advantages of Microfluidic Chips for Homogeneous Immunoassay

• High analytical throughput and direct detection
• Excellent analytical performance
• No need for antibody immobilization and rinsing steps
• No solid-phase affected by non-specific adsorption
• Low reagent, short reaction time, and power consumption

Services at Creative Biolabs

Creative Biolabs has years’ experience in microfluidic services and will offer you the best support to help advance your microfluidic chip development programs. We can design proper microfluidic chips to ensure the accuracy and sensitivity of immunoassay, greatly contributing to your projects’ successes. If you are interested in our services, please do not hesitate to contact us for more detailed information.

References

1. Zhang, Liu, et al. " A Digital Microfluidic Device Integrated with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Cell-Based Immunoassay." Biosensors. 12.5 (2022): 330.
2. Krausz, Korley, et al. " A Digital Microfluidic Device Integrated with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Cell-Based Immunoassay." Biosensors. 11.9 (2021): 320.

For Research Use Only. Not For Clinical Use.