The View of Blue; The Use of Eliza to Determine the Health Status of an Individual

A) Since the beginning of time, the ability to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy individuals has literally saved lives. Early detection has also been a life-saver, and the use of the ELISA (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) test has only improved these logistics.  The Use of the Elisa test has been helpful in determining the status of individuals (healthy or unhealthy), and is important in the field of medicine today. The test is completed by adding an antigen and incubating it to allow binding to the plastic walls. The primary antibody is then added to the well and incubated to allow it to bind to the antigen. Unbound primary is washed from walls, and secondary antibody is added to wells to bind to primary antibody. Upon rinsing of unbound secondary antibody, enzyme substrate is added, and color change occurs for infected individuals, while it does not for healthy individuals.

B) The purpose of this experiment is to  discover who the "infected" members of our class are and tracing the original "infected" people. We will also get experience in the field of testing contagious diseases. If we understand the ability of the ELISA test and the possibilities of it, then we will have learned what we were supposed to, and we can take this knowledge into the real world with us.

C) As individuals, we are supposed to transfer our fluid with three other people. Upon completion of this, we are to transfer 50 micro-liters of our mixed fluid into 2 of the wells on the 12- strip well. We then wait for five minutes to allow our proteins to to bind to the plastic wells. After this objective is completed, we wash out the wells twice with wash buffer. Then the primary antibody is added into every well for about five minutes. The washing is completed twice upon completion of this objective as well. Again, more fluid is added into the wells (this time, secondary antibody). Washing with sample buffer is to occur three times after five minutes of waiting. Finally, enzyme substrate will be added, and blue coloring will appear if the individual is infected, and the solution will remain clear if the individual is healthy.

D) I predict that I will be a healthy individual, and that 15 people will be infected in my class.