What is a Luminex Assay? Multiplex Assays: R&D Systems

A Luminex® assay is a type of immunoassay that precisely measures multiple analytes in one sample. The Luminex xMAP® technology is a bead-based immunoassay that allows for multiplex detection of up to 500 analytes simultaneously. Color-coded microspheres, or beads, are internally dyed with different proportions of red and infrared fluorophores that correspond to a distinct spectral signature, or bead region.

Antibodies specific to a desired analyte are coupled to a unique bead region and are incubated with sample. After washing away unbound materials, samples are incubated with a mixture of biotinylated detection antibodies and a streptavidin-phycoerythrin (PE) reporter. Using a Luminex instrument, beads are excited by one laser to determine the bead region and corresponding assigned analyte. Another laser determines the magnitude of the PE-derived signal, which is proportional to the amount of analyte bound. Multiple readings are taken at each bead region, ensuring robust detection.

Luminex Assay Principle

Luminex assays use a set of fluorescent beads where each bead falls in a unique spot on the fluorescent spectrum. The beads are coated with capture antibody targeted to the analyte of interest.


The sample is added to a mixture of color-coded beads, pre-coated with analyte-specific capture antibodies. The antibodies bind to the analytes of interest.	Biotinylated detection antibodies specific to the analytes of interest are added and form an antibody-antigen sandwich. Phycoerythrin (PE)-conjugated streptavidin is added. It binds to the biotinylated detection antibodies.

A magnet in the Luminex instrument captures and holds the magnetic beads in a monolayer, while two spectrally distinct light-emitting diodes (LEDs) illuminate the beads. One LED identifies the analyte that is being detected and the second LED determines the magnitude of the PE-derived signal. Each well is imaged with a CCD camera.

Benefits of Luminex Multiplex Assays

Small Sample Volume: Conserves sample by measuring multiple analytes in a single well with less than 50 µL of sample.
Save Time and Money: Save resources when compared to running multiple single-analyte ELISAs.
Flexibility: Build analyte panels to fit your research needs.
Low Variability: Minimizes experimental variability with multiple data points derived from a single experiment.

Benefits of R&D Systems Luminex Assays

R&D Systems’ Luminex assays have the largest, most flexible Luminex analytes available.  With our menu of off-the-shelf fixed panels, high-performance configurable panels, and completely custom panels, we have options to best fit your needs, ensuring you get the most data from your samples with results you can trust.

Selection: Flexibility of panels and formats available.
Experience: High Performance Luminex Assays are correlated to the gold standard Quantikine ELISA.
Availability: Fast delivery times.
Superior Quality Control:Assays undergo multiple quality control steps during production ensuring long-term reproducibility and consistency.
Specific: Assays for each target analyte are screened against all target analytes to confirm low antibody cross-reactivity.
Validation: High performance panels are extensively validated for optimal performance.
Versatile: Antibody pairs are tested to confirm parallel detection of natural and recombinant proteins.
Custom Services: Expert custom team available to help meet your unique needs.

Resources


Connect with an Expert Get answers to your questions about R&D Systems Luminex Assays and Instruments	Luminex Discovery Assays Design the multiplexing assay you need for your preliminary or discovery investigations.	Luminex High Performance Assays Accurate and precise Luminex Assays which deliver near single-analyte ELISA performance.	Luminex Instruments Dedicated dual-laser flow-based detection instruments for analyzing up to 500 targets.

Luminex Assay Protocol	Luminex Troubleshooting Guide	Luminex Assay FAQs	Luminex User Guide

Luminex®, Luminex® 200™, FLEXMAP 3D®, and xMAP INTELLIFLEX® are trademarks of Luminex Corporation.