Patent ID: 8557531
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of assaying endothelial cells in a blood sample comprising enriching the endothelial cells from the blood sample by contacting the blood sample with immunomagnetic beads capable of binding selectively to the endothelial cells, lysing the enriched endothelial cells, followed by performing on the endothelial cell lysate an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay capable of detecting an antigen expressed by the endothelial cells; wherein the immunoassay has a sensitivity defined by being capable of detecting the endothelial cell antigen from three hundred endothelial cells per milliliter of blood or by being capable of detecting the endothelial cell antigen from one hundred sixty picograms of antigenic protein; and wherein the immunoassay generates an electrochemiluminescence signal proportional to the number of endothelial cells present in the blood sample.