


If the antibody being tested for is present in the sample, it will react with or bind to the antigen in the test system and will be detected as positive.

When immunoassays are used to test for the presence of an antibody in a blood or fluid sample, the test contains the specific antigen as part of the detection system. Immunoassays can be used to test for the presence of a specific antibody or a specific antigen in blood or other fluids. Immunoassays are tests based on the very specific binding that occurs between an immunoglobulin (called an antibody) and the substance that it specifically recognizes (the foreign molecule, called an antigen). Immunoglobulins are proteins produced by the immune system to recognize, bind to, and neutralize foreign substances in the body. These items are not intended to be a comprehensive list of available methodologies, but do represent some of those that are mentioned on this web site. Explanations of the methods – and their differences – are provided to give you a better understanding of some of the tests that you may undergo. The descriptions of the methods listed below attempt to give some insight into the scientific principles used and the steps that are required to produce a result. Consequently, the same analyte may be tested differently in different laboratories, a fact that is crucial when comparing test results. Often, there may be more than one method that can be used to test for the same substance. Some methods, like some recipes, are much more complicated and labor-intensive than others and require varying degrees of expertise. The laboratory scientist follows step-by-step procedures until the end product, a test result, is achieved. Such methods are much like the recipes in a cookbook, defining the procedures or processes that are used to test biological samples for particular analytes or substances. Laboratory methods are based on established scientific principles involving biology, chemistry, and physics, and encompass all aspects of the clinical laboratory from testing the amount of cholesterol in your blood to analyzing your DNA to growing microscopic organisms that may be causing an infection. Below are explanations of several common laboratory methods mentioned on this site. Understanding the method used for a test provides a broader context for understanding your test results. Laboratories use a variety of methodologies to test the countless analytes that are of interest to the medical community.
