Application of optical chromatography to immunoassay.

Optical chromatography, a new separation technique involving the use of a radiation force and a medium flow, is used for trace analysis of protein. Two polystyrene beads, coated with antibody (anti-mouse IgG), are combined in the presence of an antigen (mouse IgG). The bound (B) and free (F) beads are readily separated by optical chromatography, and the B/F ratio can be correlated with the concentration of antigen (protein). Nanomolar concentrations of protein can be measured by this technique. The rates of the forward and reverse immunological reactions were independently determined by measuring the time of formation and dissociation, respectively, of the immunobeads.