Early detection of protein biomarkers is critical to the study of human diseases, yet current tools available for low-level protein quantitation do not address all the needs for protein and molecular biologists alike. A common concern is sample volume limitation due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient biological samples from various models in research studies. Additionally, cost and time-to-answer are always a factor when considering which assay platform to use. In many cases, end users must make trade-offs on which factors impact their work the least.

Invitrogen™ ProQuantum™ high-sensitivity immunoassays combine multiple benefits into a single platform so that users don’t need to make trade-offs. The platform works by combining the analyte specificity of high-affinity antibody–antigen binding with the signal detection and amplification of real-time PCR. The result is an assay that can measure low-expressing proteins (femtogram levels) while only consuming a fraction of sample volume (i.e.,1–2 microliters per sample) compared to other immunoassay methods. Best of all, it uses a streamlined workflow (2 hours) that is highly scalable and affordable on an open, widely used qPCR platform.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the multiple benefits of ProQuantum high-sensitivity immunoassays and how the platform works
• To understand how the kits are designed for a simplified workflow amenable to high-throughput applications