DBC Free Testosterone Elisa

PRINCIPLE OF THE TEST 
The principle of the following enzyme immunoassay test follows the typical competitive binding scenario. Competition occurs between an unlabelled antigen (present in standards, controls and patient samples) and an enzyme-labelled antigen (conjugate) for a limited number of antibody binding sites on the microplate. The washing and decanting procedures remove unbound materials. After the washing step, the enzyme substrate is added. The enzymatic reaction is terminated by addition of the stopping solution. The absorbance is measured on a microtiter plate reader. The intensity of the colour formed is inversely proportional to the concentration of free testosterone in the sample. A set of standards is used to plot a standard curve from which the amount of free testosterone in patient samples and controls can be directly read. 
The DBC free testosterone kit utilizes a highly specifi c rabbit anti-testosterone polyclonal antibody at a low binding capacity (Keq x concentration) to keep minimum disturbances of the testosterone-protein equilibrium. The other components in the test system are also optimized in order to not alter the original free testosterone concentration.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS 
Testosterone is a C-19 steroid secreted from the testis and the adrenal cortex in men and from the adrenal cortex and ovaries in women. Testosterone is also produced by peripheral tissues from androstenedione, which is of little physiological signifi cance in men; in women however, about half of the circulating testosterone is derived from this origin. 
Testosterone measurements are used mainly for clinical evaluation of hypogonadism in males and hyperandrogenic states in females. Testosterone circulates in the blood bound to three proteins: sex hormone binding globulin (60–80%), albumin and cortisol binding globulin. Only about 1–2% of the total circulating testosterone remains unbound or free. Even though it is still under investigation, most researchers accept the free testosterone determination as a measure of the biologically active fraction. Free testosterone determinations are recommended to overcome the infl uences caused by variations in transport proteins on the total testosterone concentration.

SPECIMEN COLLECTION AND STORAGE 
Approximately 0.1 mL of serum is required per duplicate determination. Collect 4–5 mL of blood into an appropriately labelled tube and allow it to clot. Centrifuge and carefully remove the serum layer. Store at 4°C for up to 24 hours or at -10°C or lower if the analyses are to be done at a later date. Consider all human specimens as possible biohazardous materials and take appropriate precautions when handling.

CALCULATIONS 
1. Calculate the mean optical density of each calibrator duplicate. 
2. Draw a calibrator curve on semi-log paper with the mean optical densities on the Y-axis and the calibrator concentrations on the X-axis. If immunoassay software is being used, a 4-parameter or 5-parameter curve is recommended. 
3. Calculate the mean optical density of each unknown duplicate. 
4. Read the values of the unknowns directly off the calibrator curve.