What is the Difference Between Elisa and Elispot?

ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay) and ELISpot (Enzyme-linked Immunospot) are biochemical assays used to detect and quantify proteins and ligands. They have some similarities but also key differences:

• Purpose: ELISA determines the total concentration of a secreted signaling protein or antibody, while ELISpot detects individual cytokine or antibody-secreting cells.
• Sample Format: ELISA uses supernatant, while ELISpot uses cell culture.
• Measurement Format: ELISA measures the supernatant, and ELISpot measures single cells.
• Sensitivity: ELISpot is generally more sensitive than ELISA, with a detection level that can be 100 to 400 times more sensitive.
• T cell Functional Study: ELISA does not have T cell functional studies, while ELISpot does.
• Dual Detection: ELISA does not support dual detection, while ELISpot does.
• Storage Time: ELISA has a shorter storage time compared to ELISpot.

ELISA and ELISpot serve different purposes and should be used in conjunction with each other rather than as substitutes. ELISpot is particularly useful for studying low-frequency cytokine-secreting cells, which is beneficial in research related to cancer, allergies, and autoimmune diseases.

Comparative Table: Elisa vs Elispot

ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and ELISpot (Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent spot) are two widely used assays in diagnostic and molecular biology. Here is a table highlighting the differences between the two:

ELISA is a biochemical assay that detects the presence of a protein or ligand by directing antibodies against the antigen to an enzyme, which then reacts with a substrate to produce a signal, usually a color change. There are four types of ELISA: Direct ELISA, Sandwich ELISA, Competitive ELISA, and Reverse ELISA. It is used in applications such as HIV tests, detecting food allergens, and screening drugs in toxicology reports.

ELISpot, on the other hand, is a technique that focuses on measuring the quantity of cytokine-secreting cells. It is considered an adaptation of a sandwich ELISA and is based on the ELISA technique. The ELISpot assay is more sensitive than ELISA, as the secreted protein is captured directly onto the well of an ELISpot plate before it can be captured by receptors on adjacent cells or degraded by proteases.