Antibody Pairs

Antibody pairs help you save time and money when developing assays. Antibody pairs are available for a diverse set of applications such as ELISA, Lateral Flow (LF) Assays, Western Blotting (WB) and Immunoprecipitation (IP) for the investigation of Protein-Protein-Interaction. Choose from our pre-selected antibody pairs according to your application:

What are Matched Antibody Pairs?

Matched antibody pairs are crucial components of the different immunoassays which rely on the interaction between antibodies and their corresponding antigens. A matched antibody pair consists of two different antibodies that have been carefully selected and optimized to work together in a specific immunoassay format. One antibody in the pair serves as the capture antibody, and the other as the detection antibody. Here's how they function within an immunoassay:

Capture Antibody

The capture antibody is immobilized onto a solid surface, such as a microtiter plate well or a membrane. Its role is to selectively bind to the target antigen present in the sample being tested. This immobilization "captures" the antigen and holds it in place for further detection.

Capture antibodies should ideally have high binding affinity and specificity for the target antigen, as they must pull the antigen out of the sample and immobilize it to a surface. Polyclonal antibodies can recognize a broader range of epitopes on the target antigen, which can lead to more efficient capture and binding in some cases. Polyclonal antibodies can be used in situations where the target antigen has multiple different epitopes or is variable in structure.

Monoclonal antibodies are very specific and bind to a single, well-defined epitope on the target antigen. This makes them ideal for detecting the target antigen in a sample. When high specificity and low probability of cross-reactivity with other molecules are required, monoclonal antibodies should be considered as capture antibodies. Monoclonal capture antibodies can be used to quantify target antigen because their specific binding allows accurate estimation of antigen concentration.

Detection Antibody

The detection antibody is labeled with a detectable marker, such as an enzyme, fluorophore, or radioactive label. This antibody is specific for a different epitope (a distinct binding site) on the same antigen as the capture antibody. It is added to the sample after the capture step and binds to the captured antigen.

Detection antibodies should be able to recognize and detect the bound capture antigen. They must have high affinity and specificity to ensure accurate and reliable results.

Monoclonal or Polyclonal Antibodies? How to choose?

Polyclonal antibodies can be used as detection antibodies when conjugated to a marker that enables the detection reaction, such as fluorescent, enzyme, or radiolabel. Polyclonal antibodies may allow more sensitive detection in some cases because they can recognize different epitopes on the target antigen, which can lead to increased signaling.

Monoclonal antibodies that bind to a different epitope of the target antigen than the capture antibody can be used as detection antibodies. This allows the formation of an antigen-antibody complex that is recognized by both the capture and detection antibodies, which can result in a higher signal amplitude and thus increase the sensitivity of the assay. The use of monoclonal detection antibodies may be useful in immunochemical assays such as ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry to increase detection sensitivity.

It is important to note that the choice of type (monoclonal or polyclonal) and use (capture or detection) of antibodies depends on the specific requirements of the immunoassay in question. In some cases, it may be appropriate to use both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in different combinations to maximize assay performance and ensure that the required specific and sensitive results are obtained.

Antibody Labeling

Antibody labeling is a technique used in molecular biology and immunology to attach a detectable marker or label to antibodies. The purpose of antibody labeling is to make the antibodies visible or traceable in various experimental applications. This labeling allows scientists to track, identify, and measure specific proteins or antigens in biological samples, such as cells, tissues, or solutions.

To label antibodies, researchers can choose from a variety of labeling techniques, such as fluorescent dyes, enzymes, or biotin, depending on the intended application and detection method. The process involves attaching a label, which can be a fluorescent dye, enzyme, biotin, or another molecule, to the antibody molecules while preserving their binding specificity. When these labeled antibodies are introduced into a sample containing the target antigen, they bind specifically to the antigen, forming an antibody-antigen complex.

Antibody labeling is a versatile tool with numerous applications, including immunofluorescence for visualizing cellular structures or protein localization, flow cytometry for analyzing cell surface markers, and ELISA for detecting specific proteins in clinical or research samples. antibodies-online offers kits for labeling, discover our biotin and HRP kits down below.

Biotin & HRP Antibody Labeling Kits