Lab activity that teaches the use of lock-key matching properties of antigen-antibody for detection as well as quantification of antibody or antigenic proteins in complex samples. This method is widely known as Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay, or ELISA.
In this lab activity, students screen test samples from a population and identify infected individuals and the severity of their disease, i.e. the levels of infection. Students learn how the ELISA technique is used in clinical and crime laboratories for the detection of disease or specific markers or criminals at crime scenes. This is a widely used technique in research laboratories.