I am testing zebrafish and Xenopus laevis for reduced hormone levels. It is the same hormone in both species. My method of choice is ELISA. However, when I researched for the available kits, they all state specific reactivity, with only a few being pan-specific. Shouldn't all kits work similarly at the hormone level, regardless of their species specificity? Any advice would be great. Thank you.
The kits will work to measure hormone levels in a given model only if the antibodies crossreact with the hormone of this species. Try to find the information about species specificity from the manufacturers. Is the hormone 100% identical in the species you are planning to test and in the species for which the kits were devloped? If so, every kit should be crossreactive in principle. If identity is not 100%, crossreactivity is difficult to predict and you will need to ask whether the kits have been tested with your molecules of interest.
Thank you Gertrudis! The response I received from the manufacturer was that the specificity is so defined because of the differences in the matrix i.e plasma etc. Any thoughts?
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