Patent ID: 7241418

Claim:
A kit for the detection of an analyte in a sample, comprising: (a) a solid phase comprising an analyte detection zone and a control zone; and (b) a 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 binding, 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 detection zone of the solid phase is used to quantitatively or qualitatively detect the analyte in the sample and the control zone of the solid phase is used to test the functional capability of the test reagent; and wherein the analyte, if present, binds the analyte-specific receptor and directly or indirectly binds to the analyte detection zone, and the heterologous structural element binds to the control zone.