Ligand binding assay

A ligand binding assay (LBA) is an assay, or an analytic procedure, which relies on the binding of ligand molecules to receptors, antibodies or other macromolecules.[1] A detection method is used to determine the presence and amount of the ligand-receptor complexes formed, and this is usually determined electrochemically or through a fluorescence detection method.[2] This type of analytic test can be used to test for the presence of target molecules in a sample that are known to bind to the receptor.[3]

There are numerous types of ligand binding assays, both radioactive and non-radioactive.[4][5][6] Some newer types are called "mix-and-measure" assays because they require fewer steps to complete, for example foregoing the removal of unbound reagents.[5]

Ligand binding assays are used primarily in pharmacology for various demands. Specifically, despite the human body's endogenous receptors, hormones, and other neurotransmitters, pharmacologists utilize assays in order to create drugs that are selective, or mimic, the endogenously found cellular components. On the other hand, such techniques are also available to create receptor antagonists in order to prevent further cascades.[7] Such advances provide researchers with the ability not only to quantify hormones and hormone receptors, but also to contribute important pharmacological information in drug development and treatment plans.[8]

  1. ^ Luckey JA, Drossman H, Kostichka T, Smith LM (1993). "High-speed DNA sequencing by capillary gel electrophoresis". Recombinant DNA Part I. Methods in Enzymology. Vol. 218. pp. 154–72. doi:10.1016/0076-6879(93)18014-4. ISBN 9780121821197. PMID 8510530.
  2. ^ Ninfa AJ, Ballou DP, Benore M, eds. (2010). Fundamental Laboratory Approaches for Biochemistry and Biotechnology. Dearborn, MI: University of Michigan.
  3. ^ Mullis KB, Faloona FA (1987). "Specific synthesis of DNA in vitro via a polymerase-catalyzed chain reaction". Recombinant DNA Part F. Methods in Enzymology. Vol. 155. pp. 335–50. doi:10.1016/0076-6879(87)55023-6. ISBN 9780121820565. PMID 3431465.
  4. ^ Sittampalam GS, Kahl SD, Janzen WP (October 1997). "High-throughput screening: advances in assay technologies". Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 1 (3): 384–91. doi:10.1016/S1367-5931(97)80078-6. PMID 9667878.
  5. ^ a b de Jong LA, Uges DR, Franke JP, Bischoff R (December 2005). "Receptor-ligand binding assays: technologies and applications". Journal of Chromatography. B, Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences. 829 (1–2): 1–25. doi:10.1016/j.jchromb.2005.10.002. PMID 16253574.
  6. ^ Joseph R. Lakowicz. (1991) Topics in Fluorescence Spectroscopy: Biochemical applications.
  7. ^ Davenport, Anthony P.; Russell, Fraser D. (1996), Mather, Stephen J. (ed.), "Radioligand Binding Assays: Theory and Practice", Current Directions in Radiopharmaceutical Research and Development, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 169–179, doi:10.1007/978-94-009-1768-2_11, ISBN 978-94-010-7289-2, retrieved 2024-10-17
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference SPFA1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).