Conditions for a reliable application of the lysoplate method in the determination of lysozyme

Using the 'lysoplate' method, less than 1 ng lysozyme can be detected. However, the sensitivity of this method is strongly dependent on the quality of the diffusion medium and on the presence of substances in the samples that affect the interaction of lysozyme with the gel medium and thus its rate of diffusion. The activity of lysozyme in the 'lysoplate' assay can be titrated with a specific antibody. The titration is suitable for quantitative determination of lysozyme. A screening of serum samples for pathologically increased lysozyme content can simply be performed by assaying lysozyme in samples supplemented with a standard amount of anti-lysozyme antibody.