Abstract: An electrophoresis film support particularly useful for the electrophoretic separation of serum proteins. According to one aspect, the electrophoresis film support comprises a microporous polymer membrane sheet containing therein an additive which is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, triphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate and mixtures thereof. According to another aspect the electrophoresis film support comprises a microporous membrane sheet made of a polymer material containing therein an additive which is selected from the group consisting of higher fatty acids having 10 to 27 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, the additive being contained in an amount, based on the weight of the polymer material, ranging from 10 ppm to 3,000 ppm or the maximum solubility limit of the higher fatty acids in the polymer material.

Abstract: In an integral multilayer analytical element of a flat sheet type comprising a plurality of layers for quantitative analysis of an analyte in a liquid sample, the improvement which comprises at least two layers of a microporous sheet material arranged adjacent to each other, said at least two layers being combined by an adhesive provided in part on the interface of said layers, whereby the interface allows essentially uniform passage of a liquid therethrough.

Abstract: An immunoassay process for quantitative analysis of an analyte antigen (or analyte antibody) in an aqueous liquid sample. In the first step, the analyte antigen (or analyte antibody) is allowed to react with an antibody (or antigen) in competition with a known quantity of a labelled antigen (or labelled antibody), the antibody (or antigen) being carried by water-insoluble microparticles in the immobilized state. In the second step, the reaction mixture is spotted on a top porous layer of an integral multi-layered analysis element which includes the top porous layer, an intermediate detection layer and a bottom water-impermeable and transparent support. The top porous layer permeates aqueous solution and has pores sufficiently small to trap all of the microparticles carrying the antibodies (or antigens) bound to the analyte antigen (or analyte antibody) and bound to the labelled antigen (or labelled antibody).

Abstract: An integral flat container type analytical instrument for use in the quantitative analysis of an analyte present in a liquid sample which has a reaction chamber and an observation chamber associated with each other so as to allow a liquid to flow therebetween characterized in that: at least part of the wall of said reaction chamber is made of a flexible material; said observation chamber is provided with wall parts which are made of a transparent material and opposed to each other in such a manner that their relative positions are fixed to provide a given light path; and no partition wall preventing the free flow of the liquid substantially exists between said reaction chamber and said observation chamber. A method for optical measurement of an analyte in a liquid sample utilizing said analytical instrument is also disclosed.

Abstract: Microcapsules are sensitized with antibody to antigen of lymphocyte. Using such microcapsules, B cells and/or T cells can be selectively measured separately or simultaneously, in a simple manner, based on cell-mediated immunity which comprises applying the microcapsules sensitized with antibody to antigen of lymphocyte and sheep red cells or another kind of antibody-sensitized microcapsules that are optically distinguishable from the first antibody-sensitized microcapsules, to lymphocyte at the same time and thereafter independently measuring respective cells that are optically distinguishable from each other.The operation for the measurement is extremely simple and neither skill nor special equipment is required.

Abstract: A method for the simultaneous immunochemical assay of trace components in a sample involving competitively reacting the antigens or antibodies in a sample and labeled antigens or labeled antibodies for limited binding sites. The labels are spectral sensitizing dyes. The reaction products are contacted with silver halide and exposed to light having wavelengths corresponding to the absorption spectra of the spectral sensitizing dyes.

Abstract: Antigen- or antibody-bound microcapsules are employed for immunological assay of biochemical components having immunological activity. The microcapsule system provides high detection sensitivity, high accuracy and excellent reproducibility in immunological assay, without causing non-specific reaction. The microcapsules can be labelled with isotopes, enzymes, etc., for use in quantitative assays of trace amounts of biochemical components.

Abstract: Method for immunological analysis of a trace component(s) by labelling an antigen or antibody with a marker comprising causing an immune reaction using an antigen or antibody labelled with a spectral sensitizer as a marker, separating the labelled antigen or antibody from the resulting antigen-antibody reaction product, then bringing either the labelled antigen or antibody and the labelled antigen-antibody reaction product into contact with a silver halide, exposing the resulting system to light having a wavelength which the spectral sensitizer absorbs, developing the thus exposed silver halide and then measuring the resulting density.Trace components can thus be photochemically detected and the amount present quantitatively determined. The method provides high reproducibility and high sensitivity comparable to radioimmunoassay but without any risk of radiation exposure.

Abstract: In a photochemical immunological assay, an antigen or antibody is labelled with a spectral sensitizer or fogging agent for photographic use, and then an immune reaction is caused. The resulting reaction mixture is dropwise added to a multilayer analysis sheet. After either one of the labelled antigen or antibody (F) or the labelled antigen-antibody bound product (B) is brought into contact with silver halide by passing either one through a B/F separating layer provided in the multilayer analysis sheet, the analysis sheet is exposed with a light that the spectral sensitizer or fogging agent absorbs. Then, the resulting optical density obtained by development processing when a spectral sensitizer is used, or without development processing when a fogging agent is used is measured.The multilayer analysis sheet comprises a support having provided thereon a silver halide layer and a B/F separating layer and makes the photochemical immunological assay simpler and more accurate.

Abstract: In a method for the immunological analysis of trace components by marking or labelling an antigen or antibody with a marker, an immune reaction is caused using an antigen or antibody marked with a fogging agent for silver halide, the labelled antigen or antibody is separated from the labelled antigen-antibody reaction product, the silver halide is developed in the presence of either one of the labelled antigen or antibody and the labelled antigen-antibody reaction product, and the density obtained is measured.The method is comparable to radioimmunoassay in having high reproductibility and sufficient sensitivity but does not involve any risk due to radiation.

Abstract: A micro-porous sheet having excellent thermostability which contains a cellulose ester as a basic component and 0.1 to 20 wt% of a cellulose ether based on the cellulose ester.

Abstract: A support for electrophoresis comprising a porous polymer film having an electroendosmosis factor of 0 to plus about 10 mm, and a process for the production of the support comprising adding a nonionic surface active agent and/or cellulose ether to a mixed solution comprising at least a polymer material for formation of a film and a solvent to produce a porous polymer film.

Abstract: A process for producing a microporous sheet comprising peeling off a microporous sheet of a resin bonded to a plate from the plate in such a manner that the microporous sheet is split into two sheets.

Abstract: A support for use in electrophoretic analysis comprising a porous polymeric flat plate such as filter paper, cellulose acetate or a non-woven fabric and a polymeric gel, such as polyacrylamide gel, enclosed in the open cells of the flat plate. The gel membrane is tough and does not shrink upon drying. The support can also be used as a filter.