Invitrogen™ MICA Human ELISA Kit

Description

The Human MICA ELISA quantitates Hu MICA in human serum, plasma, cell lysates, or cell culture medium. The assay will exclusively recognize both natural and recombinant Hu MICA.

Principle of the method

The Human MICA solid-phase sandwich ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) is designed to measure the amount of the target bound between a matched antibody pair. A target-specific antibody has been pre-coated in the wells of the supplied microplate. Samples, standards, or controls are then added into these wells and bind to the immobilized (capture) antibody. The sandwich is formed by the addition of the second (detector) antibody, binding to the target on a different epitope from the capture antibody. A conjugated enzyme has been incorporated into the assay. After incubation and washing steps to rid the microplate of unbound substances, a substrate solution is added that reacts with the enzyme-antibody-target complex to produce measurable signal. The intensity of this signal is directly proportional to the concentration of target present in the original specimen.

Rigorous validation

Each manufactured lot of this ELISA kit is quality tested for criteria such as sensitivity, specificity, precision, and lot-to-lot consistency. See manual for more information on validation.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I proteins are ubiquitously expressed and mediate the recognition of intracellular antigens by cytotoxic T cells. A related family of proteins, the MHC class I chain-related (MIC) proteins, are recognized by NKG2D, a receptor on NK and T cells, and promote anti-tumor activity. MICA, a member of the MIC family, is widely expressed on many tumors, and it is the MICA/NKG2D interaction that is thought to stimulate the anti-tumor reactivity by T lymphocytes. Both MICA and MICB mRNA are widely expressed in normal tissues, with MICA being present in virtually every tissue except the nervous system, suggesting that MIC protein expression may only be one component of the anti-tumor activity of the immune system.