Patent ID: 6670196
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for determining a ratio corresponding to the amount of a first biological molecule in a solution compared to the amount of a second biological molecule in said solution, the method comprising:(a) contacting said solution with (i) a first component having a specific binding affinity for each of said first and said second biological molecules, wherein said first component binds only one of said first or said second biological molecules at a time; and (ii) a second component having a specific binding affinity that provides binding to said first biological molecule bound to said first component and that does not provide binding to said second biological molecule bound to said first component, wherein said second component binds to said first biological molecule bound to said first component, but does not bind to said second biological molecule bound to said first component; and (b) determining a signal from a complex comprising said first biological molecule, said first component, and said second component, and relating the amount of said signal to the ratio corresponding to the amount of said first biological molecule in said solution compared to the amount of said second biological molecule in said solution by correlating said signal to a standard signal corresponding to a known ratio of said first and second biological molecules.