Human IgM ELISA Kit

Rockland's Human IgM AccuSignal(TM) ELISA Kit is an in vitro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay designed for the quantitative detection of human IgM in serum, plasma, and cell culture supernatants. This kit contains: Human IgM control, Capture antibody, biotinylated Detection Antibody, streptavidin-peroxidase conjugate, along with buffers and protocol. See protocol for details. IgM (immunoglobulin M) is the is the third most abundant and largest antibody in the human circulatory system. IgM is expressed on the surface of immature and mature B cells as a monomer and is expressed in a secreted form as a pentamer with very high avidity. IgM is the first human immunoglobulin to appear in response to initial exposure to an antigen and eliminates pathogens in the early stages of B cell-mediated (humoral) immunity before there is sufficient IgG. IgM is a strong complement activator and agglutinator due to its pentameric structure and binds fragment crystallization (Fc) receptors. IgM has a molecular mass of approximately 970 kDa in its pentamer form with ten binding sites. Typically, however, IgM cannot bind 10 antigens at the same time because the large size of most antigens hampers binding to neighboring sites. IgM antibodies do not pass across the human placenta. IgM antibodies are very useful in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. The presence of IgM antibodies in a patient's serum indicates recent infection, or in a neonate's serum specifies an intrauterine infection (e.g. congenital rubella).