Product Description
The DetectX® Cortisol Enzyme Immunoassay Kit is designed to quantitatively measure cortisol present in dried fecal extracts, saliva, urine, serum, plasma and culture media samples. This kit measures total cortisol in extracted samples, serum and plasma and free cortisol in saliva and urine. A cortisol standard is provided to generate a standard curve for the assay. Standards or diluted samples are pipetted into a clear microtiter plate coated with an antibody to capture mouse antibodies. A cortisol-peroxidase conjugate is added to the standards and samples in the wells. The binding reaction is initiated by the addition of a monoclonal antibody to cortisol to each well. After an 1 hour incubation the plate is washed and substrate is added. The substrate reacts with the bound cortisol-peroxidase conjugate. After a short incubation the color reaction is read at 450nm.
Cortisol is the primary glucocorticoid produced and secreted by the adrenal cortex. It is often referred to as the “stress hormone” as it is involved in the response to stress and it affects blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and other actions of stress adaptation. Immunologically, cortisol functions as an important anti-inflammatory and plays a role in hypersensitivity, immunosuppression, and disease resistance. In the metabolic aspect, cortisol promotes gluconeogenesis, liver glycogen deposition, and the reduction of glucose utilization. Production of cortisol follows an ACTH-dependent circadian rhythm, with a peak level in the morning and decreasing levels throughout the day. Most serum cortisol, all but about 4%, is bound to proteins including corticosteroid binding globulin and serum albumin. Only free cortisol is available to most receptors and it is through these receptors that physiological processes are modulated. Abnormal cortisol levels are being evaluated for correlation with a variety of different conditions, such as prostate cancer, depression, and schizophrenia. It is already known that abnormal levels of cortisol are involved in Cushing’s Syndrome and Addison’s disease.
- Use - Measure Cortisol in 90 Minutes
- Sample - Fecal Extracts, Urine, Serum, Plasma, Saliva and TCM
- Samples/Kit - 39 or 231 in Duplicate
- Calibrated - N-Cal Kit, NIST-Calibrated
- Stability - Stable 4?C Liquid Reagents