Ouchterlony

Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion (also known as Ouchterlony double diffusion) is a method of immunodiffusion in agar gel that was introduced by the Swedish physician Örjan Ouchterlony in 1948. This method is used to test the antigen-antibody reactions.

Principle

The principle of Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion involves the diffusion of antigens and antibodies through a semi-solid medium, which is usually agar or agarose gel. The antigens and antibodies diffuse towards each other and when they meet, they form a line of precipitation, which is visible to the naked eye.

Procedure

The procedure of Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion involves the following steps:

1. A layer of agar gel is poured onto a glass slide or petri dish.
2. Wells are cut into the agar gel using a template.
3. The antigen is placed in the central well and the antibodies are placed in the surrounding wells.
4. The slide or dish is incubated at room temperature for 24-48 hours.
5. The antigen and antibodies diffuse out of the wells and into the agar gel.
6. When the antigen and antibodies meet, they form a line of precipitation.

Applications

Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion is used in various fields of medical and biological research. Some of the applications of this method include:

1. Detection and identification of antigens or antibodies.
2. Determination of the relative concentration of antigens or antibodies.
3. Determination of the specificity of antigens or antibodies.
4. Determination of the purity of antigens or antibodies.

See also

• Immunodiffusion
• Agar gel
• Antigen
• Antibody

References

Ouchterlony Resources
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