Patent ID: 6974704
Filing Date: 2005-12-13
Classification: C12Q,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for determining whether a physiological specimen contains an analyte species comprising the steps of: a. capturing and isolating the analyte species from the physiological specimen using an affinity reagent having a specific affinity for the analyte species wherein the affinity reagent includes an antibody immobilized onto a solid substrate; b. releasing the isolated analyte species by eluting the analyte species from the antibody; c. adding a laser desorption/ionization agent to the released and isolated analyte species to form a mass spectromatic mixture; d. detecting the presence of the isolated and released analyte species using a mass spectrometer to determine whether the analyte species was present in the physiological specimen; and e. determining the identity of the analyte species by using molecular weight analysis.