Stability and Reusability of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Plates

Abstract Due to the concern of stripping immobilized enzymes and antibodies from microtiter plates by the washing process, enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been traditionally run on single-use, disposable units. This paper discusses the concept of stabilized, reusable ELISA plates. Antibody immobilized microtiter plates with three different modified polystyrene immobilizing surfaces were stored in Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline/1% BSA/0.1% Thimerosal (DBT) and DBT with 3% sucrose (DBTS) for one month at 4°C. After treatment with the chaotrope and storage in buffer, the plates can be reused up to 4 times with 90% or greater antigenic capacity remaining. High and low binding microtiter plates were studied for reusability with anti-rabbit IgG (aRIgG) as a primary antibody. In each case, the procedure allowed repeated use of the same antibody immobilized plates for ELISA without re-immobilizing the antibody or loss of antigenicity. Immobilized ELISA plates were stable for one month if stored...