Immunoenzyme Techniques refer to a set of laboratory methodologies that combining principles of immunology with enzyme-based detection systems to identify and measure specific molecules within a biological sample. It is commonly abbreviated as IET. These techniques are extensively used in various scientific and clinical disciplines for their high sensitivity, specificity, and versatility.
Immunoenzyme techniques involve the use of antibodies as the primary reagents to bind specifically with target antigens present in the sample. The antibodies are typically raised in animals or produced through recombinant DNA technology, specifically designed to recognize and bind with the target molecule. These target molecules can vary from proteins, peptides, hormones, and other specific analytes.
The detection of the antibody-antigen complex is then achieved using enzymes, such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP), which are conjugated to secondary antibodies. These enzyme-labeled antibodies can specifically bind to the primary antibodies forming a sandwich-like complex. Subsequently, various colorimetric, fluorometric, or chemiluminescent substrate reactions are employed, allowing the quantification or visualization of the antigen of interest in the sample.
Immunoenzyme techniques find extensive application in clinical diagnostics, research, and biotechnology industries. They are particularly used in the detection of diseases, assessment of immune responses, identification of biomarkers, and drug development. The ability to detect analytes at very low concentrations makes immunoenzyme techniques highly valuable tools for disease diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring therapeutic interventions.
