Patent ID: 7387897

Claim:
A method for reducing or inhibiting the non-specific binding of a detection reagent to a first antigen in a sample comprising: (1) contacting the sample with a tetrameric antibody complex that binds to the first antigen, wherein the tetrameric antibody complex comprises: (a) two antibodies of a first animal species and wherein both the antibodies of the first animal species can bind to the first antigen; and (b) two antibodies of a second animal species that can bind to the antibodies of the first animal species; (2) contacting the sample with the detection reagent that specifically binds to a second antigen in the sample and non-specifically binds to the first antigen; wherein the binding of the tetrameric antibody complex to the first antigen reduces or inhibits the non-specific binding of the detection reagent to the first antigen in the sample; (3) allowing conjugates to form between the detection reagent and the second antigen and the tetrameric antibody complex and the first antigen; and (4) optionally removing from the sample the conjugates between the detection reagent and the second antigen or the conjugates between the tetrameric antibody complex and the first antigen.