Method for binding antibodies to a surface such that they remain active

Claim 1

A method for binding reactive constituents to a surface so that they remain active comprising the steps of coating a metallized slide with a monomolecular layer of a reactive first constituent and inert organic compound so that the first constituent molecules are separated from each other by inert organic molecules, and subsequently exposing the coated slide to an aqueous medium containing a reactive second constituent specific to the first constituent to cause a reaction therewith in which the second constituent molecules bond with the first constituent molecules to form a bimolecular layer on the slide, the inert organic compound being of sufficient quantity to obtain sufficient average spacing between adjacent first constituent molecules in the monomolecular layer so that the second constituent molecules retain active sites for a further immunological reaction.

Claim 2

A method for binding reactive constituents to a surface so that they remain active comprising the steps of coating a metallized slide with a monomolecular layer of a reactive first constituent and inert organic compound so that the first constituent molecules are separated from each other by inert organic molecules, and subsequently exposing the coated slide to an aqueous medium containing a reactive second constituent specific to the first constituent to cause a reaction therewith in which the second constituent molecules bond with the first constituent molecules to form a bimolecular layer on the slide, the inert organic compound being of sufficient quantity to obtain sufficient average spacing between adjacent first constituent molecules in the monomolecular layer so that the second constituent molecules retain active sites for a further immunological reaction.

Claim 15

A method for binding antibodies to a surface so that they remain active comprising the steps of forming an aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antibody, adding a sufficient quantity of an immunologically inert organic compound to said medium, and exposing a metallized slide to the aqueous medium to coat at least a portion of the slide by absorption with a monomolecular layer of the antibody and the inert organic compound wherein the antibody molecules are sufficiently spaced from each other by the sufficient quantity of inert organic molecules so that the antibody molecules present a greater number of active sites which are retained for a further immunological reaction than if the antibody molecules were closely spaced together.

Claim 16

A method for binding antibodies to a surface so that they remain active comprising the steps of forming an aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antibody, adding a sufficient quantity of an immunologically inert organic compound to said medium, and exposing a metallized slide to the aqueous medium to coat at least a portion of the slide by absorption with a monomolecular layer of the antibody and the inert organic compound wherein the antibody molecules are sufficiently spaced from each other by the sufficient quantity of inert organic molecules so that the antibody molecules present a greater number of active sites which are retained for a further immunological reaction than if the antibody molecules were closely spaced together.

Claim 23

The method for determining the presence or absence of a suspected constituent in an aqueous medium comprising the steps of forming a first aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antigen, adding a quantity of inert organic compound to the first aqueous medium, contacting a metal slide or a metallized glass slide with said aqueous medium to coat all or part of the slide with a monomolecular layer of the antigen and the inert organic compound, the quantity of inert compound being sufficient to provide that the antigen molecules are separated from each other by the inert organic molecules, removing the monomolecular layer coated substrate from the first aqueous medium, subsequently exposing the coated substrate to a second aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antibody specific to the antigen to cause an immunological reaction therewith in which the antibody molecules bond with the antigen molecules to form a bimolecular layer on the substrate, and the antibody molecules retain a significantly greater number of active sites for a further immunological reaction than if the antigen molecules were closely spaced together, removing the bimolecular layer coated substrate from the antibody containing medium, exposing the coated substrate to a third aqueous medium suspected of containing the same antigen which is in the first aqueous medium and causing an immunological reaction to occur with the antibody in which the remaining active sites on the antibody molecules bond with the antigen molecules in the third aqueous medium, and examining the coated substrate to determine whether there is a third layer thereon thereby indicating the presence of the antigen in the third aqueous medium.

Claim 24

The method for determining the presence or absence of a suspected constituent in an aqueous medium comprising the steps of forming a first aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antigen, adding a quantity of inert organic compound to the first aqueous medium, contacting a metal slide or a metallized glass slide with said aqueous medium to coat all or part of the slide with a monomolecular layer of the antigen and the inert organic compound, the quantity of inert compound being sufficient to provide that the antigen molecules are separated from each other by the inert organic molecules, removing the monomolecular layer coated substrate from the first aqueous medium, subsequently exposing the coated substrate to a second aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antibody specific to the antigen to cause an immunological reaction therewith in which the antibody molecules bond with the antigen molecules to form a bimolecular layer on the substrate, and the antibody molecules retain a significantly greater number of active sites for a further immunological reaction than if the antigen molecules were closely spaced together, removing the bimolecular layer coated substrate from the antibody containing medium, exposing the coated substrate to a third aqueous medium suspected of containing the same antigen which is in the first aqueous medium and causing an immunological reaction to occur with the antibody in which the remaining active sites on the antibody molecules bond with the antigen molecules in the third aqueous medium, and examining the coated substrate to determine whether there is a third layer thereon thereby indicating the presence of the antigen in the third aqueous medium.

Claim 34

A method for forming multimolecular immunologically complexed films comprising the steps of treating a metallized substrate with a monomolecular layer of an immunologically reactive antigen and an immunologically inert organic compound so that the antigen molecules are separated from each other by the inert organic compound molecules, and subsequently exposing the treated substrate to an aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antibody specific to the antigen to cause an immunological reaction therewith in which the antibody molecules bond with the antigen molecules to form a bimolecular layer on the substrate, and the antibody molecules retain a significantly greater number of active sites for a further immunological reaction than if the antigen molecules were closely spaced together.

Claim 35

A method for forming multimolecular immunologically complexed films comprising the steps of treating a metallized substrate with a monomolecular layer of an immunologically reactive antigen and an immunologically inert organic compound so that the antigen molecules are separated from each other by the inert organic compound molecules, and subsequently exposing the treated substrate to an aqueous medium containing an immunologically reactive antibody specific to the antigen to cause an immunological reaction therewith in which the antibody molecules bond with the antigen molecules to form a bimolecular layer on the substrate, and the antibody molecules retain a significantly greater number of active sites for a further immunological reaction than if the antigen molecules were closely spaced together.

Claim 61

A method for forming multimolecular immunologically complexed films comprising the steps of treating a metallized substrate with a monomolecular layer of an immunologically reactive antigen by forming a dilute first solution of said antigen, immersing the substrate in said first solution sufficiently to coat the substrate with a partial monomolecular layer of the antigen, and removing the partially coated substrate from the first solution, and immersing the partially coated substrate in a serum solution comprising an immunologically reactive antibody and inert organic compound whereby inert organic compound adheres to the substrate to complete a monomolecular layer of antigen molecules separated from each other by inert organic compound molecules, and the antibody molecules in the serum forms a second layer.

Claim 62

A method for forming multimolecular immunologically complexed films comprising the steps of treating a metallized substrate with a monomolecular layer of an immunologically reactive antigen by forming a dilute first solution of said antigen, immersing the substrate in said first solution sufficiently to coat the substrate with a partial monomolecular layer of the antigen, and removing the partially coated substrate from the first solution, and immersing the partially coated substrate in a serum solution comprising an immunologically reactive antibody and inert organic compound whereby inert organic compound adheres to the substrate to complete a monomolecular layer of antigen molecules separated from each other by inert organic compound molecules, and the antibody molecules in the serum forms a second layer.