Definition

Noun: A laboratory technique used to identify or measure the concentration of a specific substance, particularly a biological molecule like a protein, by exploiting the highly specific binding reaction between an antigen and its corresponding antibody.

Usage

This term is used primarily in scientific, medical, and laboratory contexts to describe a category of precise analytical methods. - The diagnosis was confirmed using an immunochemical assay. - Researchers developed a new immunochemical assay to detect the viral protein.

Advanced Usage

• "to perform/conduct an immunochemical assay": to carry out this specific laboratory procedure.
  • The lab will perform an immunochemical assay on the serum samples.
• "sandwich immunochemical assay": a common, highly sensitive variant of the technique where the target antigen is bound between two antibodies.
  • The sandwich immunochemical assay provided more accurate results.

Variants and Related Words

• Immunoassay (n): A more common, general synonym for immunochemical assay.
  • Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a widely used type of immunoassay.
• Immunochemistry (n): The branch of chemistry concerned with immune responses and the properties of antigens and antibodies.
  • His research focuses on the principles of immunochemistry.

Synonyms

• Immunoassay: The most direct synonym.
• Antibody-based test: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the mechanism.

Related Phrases

• Immunochemical analysis: A very similar phrase often used interchangeably.
  • The substance was characterized through immunochemical analysis.

Noun

1. identification of a substance (especially a protein) by its action as an antigen
   • PSA in the blood can be measured with an immunochemical assay