Patent ID: 7521258

Claim:
A method for measuring the presence of an ob polypeptide, an immunogenic fragment thereof, an immunogenic derivative thereof, or an immunogenic analog thereof, in a sample, comprising: A. contacting a sample suspected of containing an ob polypeptide, an immunogenic fragment thereof, an immunogenic derivative thereof, or an immunogenic analog thereof, with an antibody that binds to an epitope of said ob polypeptide, immunogenic fragment thereof, immunogenic derivative thereof, or immunogenic analog thereof, said epitope having an amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, or SEQ ID NO:6, under conditions which allow for the formation of reaction complexes comprising the antibody and said ob polypeptide, immunogenic fragment thereof, immunogenic derivative thereof, or immunogenic analog thereof; and B. detecting the formation of said reaction complexes in the sample; in which detection of the formation of reaction complexes indicates the presence of said ob polypeptide, immunogenic fragment thereof, immunogenic derivative thereof, or immunogenic analog thereof in said sample.