Technical guides and protocols for lateral flow assays.
What is the Hook Effect? The high-dose hook effect occurs when an excess of antigen saturates both the capture and detection antibodies, leading to a false negative or weak signal. This is a common pitfall in assays designed for high-abundance targets like CRP or Ferritin. Solution: Dilution & Membrane Capacity To mitigate this, one must … Read more
The First Line of Defense: Sample Pad Treatment In veterinary and food safety diagnostics, samples are rarely clean. Whole blood, milk, and homogenized tissue contain lipids, red blood cells, and large particulates that can clog the analytical membrane. The solution lies in the Sample Pad. Buffer Optimization for Complex Matrices Standard glass fiber pads often … Read more
Understanding Capillary Flow Time (Sec/4cm) One of the most critical parameters in Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) development is the wicking speed of the nitrocellulose membrane. Often measured as the time required for liquid to travel 4cm (e.g., HF135, HF180), choosing the wrong speed can ruin assay sensitivity. Fast vs. Slow Membranes: The Trade-off Membrane Type … Read more
The Challenge of Complex Food Matrices Detecting allergens like peanut, soy, or gluten in processed foods is notoriously difficult. Unlike clean clinical samples (serum/buffer), food extracts are often viscous, high in fats, and loaded with proteins that cause non-specific binding. This leads to the “Matrix Interference” effect, often resulting in false positives or membrane clogging. … Read more
Introduction CRISPR-Cas12a diagnostics have revolutionized nucleic acid detection, offering sensitivity comparable to PCR with the simplicity of a lateral flow readout. However, a common challenge frustrates researchers worldwide: false positives. In this guide, we explore why background signals occur in CRISPR lateral flow assays and how Due Bio’s Universal Strips help mitigate these issues through … Read more