EIA / MEIA Worksheet

1 Microtitre plates

Read and fill the gaps with words made from the words in brackets.

A microtitre plate or microplate or microwell plate or multiwall, is a flat plate with multiple
"wells" used as small test tubes. The microplate has become a standard tool in ______ (ANALYSIS)
research and clinical ________ (DIAGNOSIS) testing laboratories. A very common usage is in the
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the basis of most modern ______ (MEDICINE) diagnostic
testing in humans and animals.

Each well of a microplate ________ (TYPICAL) contains between tens of nanolitres to several
millilitres of liquid. They can also be used to store dry powder or as racks to support glass tube
inserts. Wells can be _______ (CIRCLE) or square. Today, there are microplates for nearly every
_________ (APPLY) in life science research which involves filtration, ________ (SEPARATE), optical
detection, _________ (STORE), reaction mixing or cell culture.

2 Listening

A Listen and complete the gaps

1 the EIA can be done in a multi-well microtiter plate or any other solid adherent ___________

2 the plate is prepared to perform a particular assay by _________ the wells with antibodies that
bind to the antigen of interest

3 then the _________ are filled with the clinical sample which could be a sample of serum,
respiratory secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, urine or some other body fluid

4 if the antigen is present in the sample, it will ___________ to the fixed antibodies

5 the wells are then washed out to remove any of the unattached __________, leaving the antigen of
interest stuck to the wells

6 the second _____________, directed against another epitope on the target antigen is added

7 these antibodies are conjugated covalently to an ________________

8 they bind to the antigen which is fixed in the well and this provides a second level of
___________ for the assay

9 the wells are washed again to remove any ______________ antibodies

10 a ____________ of colorigenic enzyme substrate is added


3 Grammar – Passive voice

Immunology

A Read and fill the gaps.

The principal role of the immune system is to ____ (1) the body against possible infections. The
immune system has evolved over millions of years to respond and destroy any organisms _____ (2)
have entered the body.
The complexity of immune systems mirrors evolutionary history: more 'primitive' organisms have
immune systems composed ____ (3) discrete, general purpose, effector cells and molecules; more
'advanced' organisms have developed organs and tissues ____ (4) a specific immune purpose. A key
part of Immunology involves studying ____ (5) the many different organs, cells and molecules of the
immune system work and interact ____ (6) each other.
The earlier form of the immune system is known ____ (7) the 'innate' immune system, and is found in
a wide range of organisms (including invertebrates and primitive vertebrates); the ____ (8) form is
known as the 'adaptive' immune system and is common to higher vertebrates (including humans).

Specifically:
  * The innate immune system includes natural barriers to infection, _____ (9) as skin and cells
lining the mouth, as well as the effector cells and molecules
  * The adaptive immune system includes specialised cells, organs and tissues _____ (10) are
responsible for reacting to a specific foreign substance

B Answer these questions:

1 What is the major role of the immune system?

2 Describe the difference between the ‘primitive’ and ‘advanced’ immune systems.

 Grammar – indirect speech