Quantitative Lateral Flow Assays for Salivary Biomarker Assessment: A Review

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Biomarker Analysis

Background:

• Saliva is an increasingly recognized biofluid for research and clinical applications.
• Its ease of collection, minimal risk, and lower costs offer advantages over traditional biofluids like blood.
• Recent advancements have focused on developing rapid salivary testing methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the growing popularity of saliva as a biofluid.
• To compare the strengths and weaknesses of saliva against other biofluids (blood, urine, tears).
• To review the progress and potential of rapid salivary immunoassays.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on the properties of saliva as a biofluid.
• Comparison of rapid immunoassays (e.g., lateral flow) with traditional methods.
• Examination of salivary tests for small molecule biomarkers, using cortisol as an example.

Main Results:

• Saliva is easily obtained with minimal donor risk and reduced costs for collection, transport, and analysis.
• Rapid salivary tests offer potential for real-time biomarker assessment.
• Cortisol measurement in saliva exemplifies the application of these tests.

Conclusions:

• Saliva presents a viable alternative biofluid, especially when rapid results are crucial.
• Salivary tests offer lower costs, faster turnaround times, and minimal training requirements.
• The field anticipates future capabilities for on-site saliva collection and analysis with near-instant results.