In recent months, we've received numerous reports from customers about unscrupulous companies and small workshops that prioritize profit over quality. These entities are selling counterfeit and substandard ELISA kits, which harm the scientific community and undermine the integrity of research. Unfortunately, they exploit the seriousness and rigor of scientific work for their own gain, creating chaos in both the research environment and the market. As a responsible supplier, we feel it is our duty to expose these fake ELISA kits and provide practical methods for researchers and users to identify them. We want to put an end to those who sell low-quality products, falsely claim imports, or lack ethical standards—like rats crossing the street, everyone should speak out.
**Identification Methods:**
1. **Interference Test to Confirm Antigen Specificity:**
- Prepare a mixture of the kit’s recombinant protein antigen and its detection antibody in a ratio of approximately 1:2.
- Incubate this mixture at 37°C for 15 minutes. Instead of proceeding with the standard protocol, skip the next steps involving the original detection antibody.
- Follow the kit instructions by adding the detection antibody, enzyme conjugate, and substrate as usual.
- After completing the experiment, check the standard curve. If the curve is well-defined, it indicates that the antigen you added does not match the target antigen of the kit. This suggests that the detection antibody is reacting to a non-target antigen, making the kit counterfeit.
- If the standard curve is absent or distorted, it means the detection antibody may have been neutralized or interfered with by the added antigen, indicating that the kit is genuine and specific to the target antigen.
2. **Cross-Experiment to Verify Kit Authenticity:**
- If you have purchased two different ELISA kits (Kit A and Kit B) from the same company, perform a cross-experiment to determine their authenticity.
- Take two coated plates from Kit A.
- Use one plate with Kit A to generate a standard curve.
- Use the second plate with Kit B to generate another standard curve.
- Proceed with the rest of the procedure as per the kit instructions, including the addition of detection antibody, enzyme complex, and substrate.
- After finishing the experiment, compare the two standard curves. If they are identical, it suggests that both kits are detecting the same target, meaning they are likely counterfeit.
- If the curves differ significantly, it indicates that each kit detects a different antigen, confirming that they are genuine ELISA kits.
By following these methods, researchers can better protect themselves from counterfeit products and ensure the accuracy and reliability of their experiments. Stay informed, stay cautious, and always verify the quality of your reagents.
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