Radio Immunoassay (RIA)

Radio Immunoassay (RIA)

1. Dr. P. Saranraj
Head
Department of Microbiology
Sacred Heart College (Autonomous)
Tirupattur –635 601
Tamil Nadu, India
Mobile: [phone]; E.mail:
[email protected]
RADIO IMMUNOASSAY
(RIA)

2. RADIOIMMUNOASSAY (RIA)
Radioimmunoassay (RIA)isan in
vitroImmunoassay techniqueusedto
measure antigen concentrations
(hormone levelsinblood)byuse
ofantibodies.
In1960,S.ABensonandRosalynSussman
YalowintroducedRIAtodeterminelevelsof
Insulin–Anti-insulincomplexesinDiabetics.
In1977,someyearsafterBenson’sdeath,the
significanceofthetechniquewasacknowledged
bytheawardofaNobelPrizetoYalow.
TheRIAinvolvesthecompetitivebindingofa
radiolabelledantigentoahighaffinity
antibody.

3. Advantages
The RIA technique is
extremelysensitiveandspecific,requiring
specializedequipment.
RIAremainsamongtheleastexpensive
methodstoperformsuchmeasurements.
Disadvantages
TheRIArequiresspecialprecautionsand
licensing,sinceradioactivesubstancesare
used.

5. Applications of RIA
UsedintheassayDrugslikeDigitoxin,
Morphin,BarbifurateandAmphetonine.
AnalysisofVitaminslikeRiboflavinandFolic
acid.
AnalysisofHormoneslikeAldosterone,Insulin,
GrowthhormoneandThyroxin.