Patent ID: 6998246
Filing Date: 2006-02-14
Classification: G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for quantitatively or qualitatively detecting an analyte in a sample comprising: (a) preparing a solid phase comprising an analyte detection zone and a control zone, (b) contacting the sample with the solid phase and an excess amount of test reagent, said test reagent comprising a conjugate comprising an analyte-specific receptor and at least one heterologous structural element coupled to the analyte-specific receptor by covalent bonding, wherein the analyte-specific receptor further carries a signal-generating group or a group that can bind to a signal-generating group; wherein the analyte, if present, binds the analyte-specific receptor, and directly or indirectly binds to the detection zone, and the heterologous structural element binds the control zone, and (c) determining the presence or amount of analyte in the sample by detecting the presence or amount of analyte bound to the analyte detection zone and determining the functional capability of the test reagent by detecting the presence or amount of the heterologous structural element bound to the control zone.