The use of coated paramagnetic particles as a physical label in a magneto-immunoassay

An ideal label for use in an immunoassay would require no further chemical or electromagnetic stimulation prior to its detection and would be free from interference from the sample matrix. Micron sized paramagnetic particles are able to perturb magnetic fields. This perturbation can be directly detected using a suitable electronic device and is independent of the sample matrix. In this study coated paramagnetic particles were used as a physical label in a non-competitive solid phase ‘sandwich’ assay for the detection of human transferrin. The transferrin acted as a ‘biological bridge’ allowing a dose dependant immobilization of the paramagnetic particles to a polyethylene terephthalate solid phase. Quantitation of the paramagnetic label was achieved using an electronic detection system allowing a linear dose response with a femtomolar detection limit (260 fmol).