Mabtech Immunoassays & Antibodies

The ELISpot assay is a robust and straightforward tool for detecting and quantifying antigen-specific immune responses at the single-cell level. For almost 40 years, researchers have trusted Mabtech's ELISpot kits for their reliability and high sensitivity in capturing both T cell and B cell responses. 

So how does ELISpot work? The assay works similarly to ELISA, but instead of measuring an analyte in solution, it detects the cells secreting that analyte (see image). Immune cells are stimulated in wells pre-coated with capture antibodies specific to the analyte of interest. Responding cells secrete the analyte, which is immediately captured by the antibodies on the plate. After incubation, the cells are washed away, and detection antibodies are added, followed by visualization reagents to reveal spots. Each spot represents an individual responding cell, offering a precise and quantifiable measure of immune activity.

FluoroSpot is the multiplex version of ELISpot. Just like in the ELISpot assay, target proteins secreted by cells are captured by specific antibodies immediately after secretion and throughout the stimulation process, making it an extremely sensitive sandwich assay. The difference to ELISpot lies in the mode of detection: where ELISpot relies on an enzymatic reaction, FluoroSpot utilizes fluorescence. This allows multiplex analyses of several analytes simultaneously, enabling studies of cell populations with different functional profiles.