Body metabolism refers to all the chemical processes that take place inside the body to keep us alive and functioning. These processes convert the food and drinks we consume into energy and building blocks for growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues.
However, genetics, hormonal imbalances, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin resistance, exposure to a toxic environment, infections, and some medications can disrupt the normal function of the body’s metabolism. This can further lead to abnormal levels of substances, such as glucose, lipids, and enzymes, in the body. This imbalance is known as a metabolic disorder.
It can lead to several diseases, including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
- Metabolic syndrome
- Thyroid
- Mitochondrial disorders
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
It affects millions of people all around the world. Since metabolic disorders include various conditions, it is impossible to give a single global figure for people affected by metabolic disorders.
However, it has been found that over 1.2 billion people were affected by NAFLD in 2019 and 500 million people by type 2 diabetes in 2021. That is why it is crucial to detect various biomarkers, such as hormones, enzymes, lipids, and cytokines, at an early stage. Here is where custom-made ELISA kits come into play.
What is Custom-Made ELISA?
ELISA stands for Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. It is a plate-based technique that relies on antigen-antibody interaction to detect the presence of antigens, antibodies, cytokines, enzymes, etc., in a biological sample.
However, metabolic disorders often involve novel targets, rare proteins, or species-specific studies. That is why standard ELISA kits may not be sufficient at times. So, researchers use custom-made ELISA kits that are designed according to the requirements, such as antibody choice, detection method, sensitivity range, and target biomarkers.
These kits can:
- Detect biomarkers even if they exist at a very low concentration
- Be designed as per species-specific antibodies
- Discover novel biomarkers via proteomics or genomics
- Be used for multiplex testing, where metabolic factors need to be studied simultaneously.
Role of Custom-Made ELISA Kits in Metabolic Disorder Research
Understand Disease Mechanism
Metabolic disorders often involve complex biochemical and signaling pathways. Custom-made ELISA kits help researchers uncover these mechanisms by providing detailed insights into molecular interactions and pathway dysregulation.
For instance:
Insulin signaling in type 2 diabetes involves multiple proteins, including insulin receptor substrates, kinases, and glucose transporters. Custom ELISA kits can quantify these proteins in various tissues and help researchers map the progression of insulin resistance.
Therapeutic Development and Monitoring
Metabolic disorders require accurate measurement of drug targets and therapeutic effects for the development of treatments. Custom-made ELISA kits play a key role in preclinical and clinical research. These kits help in:
- Assess drug efficacy: ELISA helps researchers measure biomarker levels before and after treatment. This further helps researchers decide how effectively a drug modulates disease pathways.
- Pharmacodynamic studies: Custom ELISA kits can track changes in proteins or enzymes after therapy. This helps researchers choose the best dose and treatment plan.
- Personalized medicine: People respond differently to treatments because metabolic disorders vary. ELISA tests can guide doctors to give treatments based on a patient’s specific biomarker profile.
Biomarker Discovery and Validation
Biomarkers are measurable indicators of biological processes, disease states, or responses to treatment. In metabolic disorders, these can include hormones like insulin, adipokines, enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, and lipid profiles.
Custom-made ELISA kits allow researchers to:
- Target novel or low-abundance biomarkers: Many metabolic disorders involve proteins present at very low concentrations in blood or tissue samples. Standard kits may lack the sensitivity to detect these molecules. Custom kits can be optimized for higher sensitivity to detect even minute biomarker levels.
- Validate potential biomarkers: Once potential biomarkers are identified through genomics or proteomics, custom ELISAs help verify their presence and relevance in patient samples. As a result, this aids in developing diagnostic tests and understanding disease progression.
- Enable species-specific studies: Animal models are commonly used to study metabolic disorders. Custom ELISA kits can be designed with species-specific antibodies. This helps ensure accurate biomarker detection across different models.
The Bottom Line
Now that you know how custom-made ELISA kits help in metabolic disorder research, what are you waiting for? Find a reliable source to buy ELISA kits as per your requirements!
