T Cell Immunology
Tools
A Choice of Techniques for Quantification of Secreted Cytokines
Secreted cytokines in samples can be quantified by various techniques. BD™ Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) can simultaneously quantify multiple cytokines from the same sample, while ELISA is a useful assay for measuring levels of single cytokines. BD™ ELISPOT reagents determine the frequency of cytokine-producing cells, while BD™ In Vivo Capture Assays allow sensitive and direct measurement of cytokine production in vivo (in mice).BD Cytometric Bead Array (CBA)
BD CBA is a bead-based immunoassay for quantifying multiple proteins simultaneously using flow cytometry. The BD CBA portfolio includes assays for the measurement of a variety of soluble and intracellular proteins including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and phosphorylated cell signaling proteins. This technology makes BD CBA especially suitable for studying events involved in T-cell differentiation.
BD ELISA reagents
ELISA is a useful assay for quantitating single cytokines. BD offers maximum flexibility, offering a large menu of pre-optimized, ready-to-use BD OptEIA™ kits and sets, as well as individual matched capture and detection antibody pairs with corresponding recombinant protein standards.
More about BD ELISA Reagents »
BD ELISPOT technology
The BD ELISPOT assay is a powerful tool for detecting and analyzing individual cells that secrete a particular protein in vitro. This technology enables determination of the frequency of cytokine-producing cells in a sample. It is highly sensitive and allows for downstream analysis.
More on BD ELISPOT Technology »
BD in vivo capture assays
The BD In Vivo Capture Assay is a complementary technology to ELISA and CBA. It is used for sensitive and direct measurement of cytokine production in vivo (in mice) through the injection of a cytokine-specific antibody and subsequent analysis of collected serum in an ELISA-type assay. The in vivo capture assays are easy to use and yield highly sensitive and directly correlated results.
More on In Vivo Capture Cytokine Assays »
Comparison of technologies for measuring cytokines
| Capability | BD CBA | ELISA | ICS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allows detection of multiple cytokines in same experiment | X | X | |
| Can obtain phenotype of specific cells expressing cytokine of interest | X | ||
| Can measure quantity of cytokine secreted | X | X |
