Lateral flow assays

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Background:

• Lateral flow assays (LFAs) are widely used for low-cost, rapid, and portable detection.
• They are prevalent in biomedicine, agriculture, food, and environmental science applications.
• Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) are gaining attention for immediate patient diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of LFA principles and critical components.
• To discuss the range, interpretation, and evaluation parameters of LFA results.
• To explore recent advancements, advantages, disadvantages, and future diagnostic applications of LFAs.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on lateral flow assay technology.
• Focus on the principles and components of lateral flow immunoassays.
• Analysis of assay evaluation parameters, advantages, and disadvantages.

Main Results:

• LFAs are versatile, low-cost, and rapid detection devices.
• LFIAs show significant potential for point-of-care diagnostic applications.
• The review summarizes key aspects from assay design to future improvements.

Conclusions:

• LFAs, particularly LFIAs, are crucial for accessible and immediate diagnostic solutions.
• Future improvements will enhance the performance and expand the applications of LFA technology.
• Continued research in LFAs promises significant advancements in various scientific and medical fields.