Automated separation for heterogeneous immunoassays

Cell separation was first achieved in 1964 by S. H. Seal, who separated large tumor cells from the smaller blood cells using filtration. Two years later, Pohl and Hawk performed experiments on how cells respond differently to a nonuniform electric field based on the cell type. Such observations were the inception of cell separation methods, which allow isolating a single cell type from a heterogeneous sample.

Affinity chromatography is a powerful technique extensively utilized for separating and purifying specific biomolecules from complex mixtures. It capitalizes on the highly selective binding between an analyte and its counterpart, such as antibody-antigen interactions. The counterpart is immobilized on the stationary phase, forming an affinity column. The stationary phase typically consists of solid support, such as agarose or porous glass beads, immobilizing the affinity ligand. The mobile...