Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
295 words
A method for the combined radioimmunoassay for triiodothyronine (T-3) and thyroxine (T-4) in a serum or plasma sample comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a crosslinked dextran gel at a pH of at least 11 with said sample and with radiolabeled T-3 and T-4 labeled with the same radioisotope, (b) washing said gel with an alkaline aqueous solution having a pH less than 11, (c) incubating said gel with a predetermined first amount of an antibody to T-3 insufficient to bind all of the radiolabeled T-3 bound to said gel at the conclusion of step(b), (d) washing said gel with an alkaline solution having a pH less than 11, said gel retaining a portion of the radiolabeled T-3 bound thereto as a direct function of the amount of T-3 present in said sample, (e) incubating said gel with a predetermined second amount of an antibody to T-3 sufficient to bind all of the radiolabeled T-3 bound to said gel at the conclusion of step(d) and with a predetermined amount of an antibody to T-4 insufficient to bind all of the radiolabeled T-4 bound to said gel at the conclusion of step(d), (f) washing said gel with an alkaline aqueous solution having a pH less than 11, said gel retaining substantially no radiolabeled T-3 while retaining a portion of the radiolabeled T-4 bound thereto as a direct function of the amount of T-4 present in said sample, and (g) comparing (1) the relative amounts of radiolabeled T-3 and T-4 retained by said gel after washing steps(d) and (f), respectively, with respect to the amounts of radiolabeled T-3 and T-4 contacted with said gel in step(a), to (2) such relative amounts obtained by performing the same method on standard samples containing known amounts of T-3 and T-4.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
295 words
A method for the combined radioimmunoassay for triiodothyronine (T-3) and thyroxine (T-4) in a serum or plasma sample comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a crosslinked dextran gel at a pH of at least 11 with said sample and with radiolabeled T-3 and T-4 labeled with the same radioisotope, (b) washing said gel with an alkaline aqueous solution having a pH less than 11, (c) incubating said gel with a predetermined first amount of an antibody to T-3 insufficient to bind all of the radiolabeled T-3 bound to said gel at the conclusion of step(b), (d) washing said gel with an alkaline solution having a pH less than 11, said gel retaining a portion of the radiolabeled T-3 bound thereto as a direct function of the amount of T-3 present in said sample, (e) incubating said gel with a predetermined second amount of an antibody to T-3 sufficient to bind all of the radiolabeled T-3 bound to said gel at the conclusion of step(d) and with a predetermined amount of an antibody to T-4 insufficient to bind all of the radiolabeled T-4 bound to said gel at the conclusion of step(d), (f) washing said gel with an alkaline aqueous solution having a pH less than 11, said gel retaining substantially no radiolabeled T-3 while retaining a portion of the radiolabeled T-4 bound thereto as a direct function of the amount of T-4 present in said sample, and (g) comparing (1) the relative amounts of radiolabeled T-3 and T-4 retained by said gel after washing steps(d) and (f), respectively, with respect to the amounts of radiolabeled T-3 and T-4 contacted with said gel in step(a), to (2) such relative amounts obtained by performing the same method on standard samples containing known amounts of T-3 and T-4.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step(g) is accomplished by measuring the radioactivity of the incubating gel in step(c) ("first count"), of the incubating gel in step(e) ("second count"), and of the washed gel from step(f) ("third count"); by calculating T-3 and T-4 retention ratios as follows: ##EQU3## wherein T-3 total count and T-4 total count are, respectively, the total radioactivity of the radiolabeled T-3 and T-4 contacted with the gel in step(a); and comparing such ratios to those obtained by performing the same method on standard samples containing known amounts of T-3 and T-4.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method of claim 2 wherein T-3 total count is determined by separately performing the method of claim 1 through step(b), contacting the gel in step(a) with the radiolabeled T-3 but not the radiolabeled T-4 or the sample, and measuring the radioactivity of the washed gel after step(b), and wherein the T-4 total count is determined by separately performing the method of claim 1 through step(d), contacting the gel in step(a) with the radiolabeled T-4 but not the radiolabeled T-3 or the sample, and measuring the radioactivity of the washed gel after step(d).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dextran gel is crosslinked with an epihalohydrin and has a water regain of from about 1 to 5 grams per gram of dry gel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the wash solutions of steps(b), (d) and (f) are a buffer solution having a pH of between 7 and 10.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said wash solutions are a barbital buffer solution having a pH of about 8.6.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said radioisotope is radioactive iodine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said radioactive iodine is 125 I.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gel is contained in a column and is washed in steps(b), (d), and (f) by passing said solutions through the column.