A & P II
This interactive, modular lab explores how the ELISA method can be used to test blood samples for evidence of certain diseases.
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a laboratory technique that detects and measures specific proteins. It can show whether a patient has antibodies related to certain diseases, making it useful for medical diagnoses. In this lab, students perform a virtual ELISA to test whether a particular antibody is present in a blood sample. Students engage in key science practices, including experimental design and data interpretation.
The lab contains an interactive lab space, an informational notebook, and embedded questions. It also includes supplementary resources, such as a glossary of scientific terms.
The accompanying worksheet provides structure and guidance as students perform the tutorials and experiments in the lab.
Please visit the
Immunology Virtual Lab
as you complete the attached worksheet and submit once completed.
This resource is provided by Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Due DateFeb 6, 2020 11:59 PMAttachmentsImmunology-Lab-Worksheet-Student (69.1 KB)Download All Files
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Published January 2015
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Student Worksheet
Virtual Lab
The Immunology Virtual Lab
IMMUNOLOGY VIRTUAL LAB WORKSHEET
INTRODUCTION
Go to http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/immunology-virtual-lab. Start the Virtual Lab and maximize the
screen if you wish. Answer the following questions in the spaces provided.
DIAGNOSIS
1. Where are antibodies found?
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2. How can they be used in the laboratory?
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3. What does ELISA stand for?
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4. What are ELISA assays used for in labs?
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5. What are the three important limitations of an ELISA? Explain each.
Limitation Explanation
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Student Worksheet
Virtual Lab
The Immunology Virtual Lab
BACKGROUND
1. What test can be used to determine whether a patient has an infectious or autoimmune disease?
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2. What does a positive result indicate?
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3. The watery fluid of the blood is called ____________________.
4. What is allowed to react with the target antigen?
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5. Detection is possible when _________________________________________________.
6. Once isolated, the secondary antibody can be ____________________________________
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7. What is the signaling system?
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8. What happens when the appropriate chemical (substrate) is added?
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9. How is the test quantified?
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10. What does the amount of color reflect?
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Student Worksheet
Virtual Lab
The Immunology Virtual Lab
LAB NOTEBOOK
Proceed through the entire lab simulation protocol. Be sure to read the captions below the pictures (left side)
and the information in the lab notebook (right side). Be sure to “start over” to begin the lab. You CANNOT skip
any steps. Answer the following questions as you proceed.
1. What is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?
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2. From Figure 1 (click on it), what are the four steps of an ELISA protocol?
a. ___________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________
c. ___________________________________________________________
d. ___________________________________________________________
3. In step 1, you centrifuge the samples. What does a centrifuge do?
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4. What are you preparing in step 2? Why are there three different solutions?
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5. In steps 3 and 4, you prepare an ELISA plate. What has the ELISA plate been pretreated with? Why?
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a. What is the positive control? (Step 4)
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b. What is a primary antibody? Please define.
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Student Worksheet
Virtual Lab
The Immunology Virtual Lab
c. What is the negative control? (Step 4)
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d. Why is it necessary to have a positive and a negative control? (Step 4)
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6. Why incubate the plate in step 5?
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7. Next, in step 6, the plate is washed. Why wash the plate?
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8. In step 7, a secondary antibody is added. What is a secondary antibody? Please define.
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a. What is the attached enzyme in this assay? (Step 7)
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b. What is the specific substrate for HRP? What color does it produce? (Step 7)
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9. How can the yellow color be quantitatively measured? At what wavelength? (Step 10, in “why”)
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Student Worksheet
Virtual Lab
The Immunology Virtual Lab
10. Record your results. Indicate on this page and on the computer which boxes turned color.
A B C + (positive) – (negative)
1:2
1:10
1:100
11. Did you complete the ELISA correctly? (Yes/No) __________
If yes, proceed to #12 and #14.
If no, proceed to #13 and #14.
12. What do the results indicate about:
Patient A:
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Patient B:
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Patient C:
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13. Explain what you did wrong and what you will need to do next time. For more information, check your
printable summary page. Did your incorrect procedure provide you any results? Explain what went wrong.
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Student Worksheet
Virtual Lab
The Immunology Virtual Lab
14. This virtual lab was testing for lupus. How is this same test used to test for the presence of HIV? If the
results for an HIV test were the same as in this exercise, what would they indicate about the three
patients?
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AUTHOR
Prepared by Ann Brokaw, Rocky River High School.
Edited by Susan Dodge and Laura Bonetta, HHMI; copyedited by Linda Felaco.
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