[laplacesdemon48]

Can somebody please explain the challenges associated with miniaturizing and speeding up the ELISA test?

On wiki [0] I see:

> In the most simple form of an ELISA, antigens from the sample to be tested are attached to a surface. Then, a matching antibody is applied over the surface so it can bind the antigen. This antibody is linked to an enzyme and then any unbound antibodies are removed. In the final step, a substance containing the enzyme's substrate is added. If there was binding the subsequent reaction produces a detectable signal, most commonly a color change.

What are the pain points in this process?

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELISA

[perukoip]

The big game changer for these microfludic ELISA chips is the increased surface area / volume ratio. While this can speed up incubation quite a bit, you can also run into problems at low concentrations of where (1) you can start depleting the sample, and (2) mass action kinetics no longer apply.

Also figuring out how to reliably manufacture these to within a certain tolerance is a very difficult feat of engineering.

I haven’t been active in this field for a while though, so these may no longer be issues.

[amelius]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5325810/