Assay Principle:

The DetectX® Corticosterone Chemiluminescent ELISA Kit provides a precise method for quantitatively measuring corticosterone in various samples, including serum, plasma, urine, respiratory vapor, fecal extracts, feathers, hair, and tissue culture media. This competitive ELISA offers a run time of 2 hours, combining efficiency with accuracy. Read the complete kit insert for detailed instructions before running the assay. The kit includes a corticosterone standard for establishing an accurate standard curve.

Protocol Summary:

• Introduce standards or diluted samples into the provided transparent microtiter plate coated with donkey anti-sheep IgG antibody.
• Add corticosterone peroxidase conjugate and corticosterone polyclonal sheep antibody to initiate the immunological reaction.
• Incubate the mixture for 2 hours at room temperature with shaking. The reaction varies inversely with corticosterone concentration in the sample.
• After incubation, wash away excess conjugate and add the chemiluminescent substrate. This substrate reacts with the bound conjugate, producing a detectable light signal.
• Use a plate reader to measure the light intensity and calculate corticosterone concentration based on the standard curve.

Background:

Corticosterone, also known as Kendall’s Compound ‘B’, is a steroid hormone produced by the cortex of the adrenal gland. It serves as a precursor to Aldosterone, synthesized through ACTH stimulation. In non-human mammals, corticosterone is the primary stress steroid and is an important indicator of physiological stress responses.

Various stress-related conditions elevate corticosterone levels and impact memory, behavior, and dietary responses. For example, increased levels are linked to impaired long-term memory retrieval, responses to burn injuries, and reactions to severe dietary restrictions. Beyond stress, corticosterone is essential in regulating sleep-wake patterns and plays significant roles in developmental and behavioral processes in birds.

The DetectX® Corticosterone Chemiluminescent ELISA Kit is a highly sensitive tool for research in endocrinology, stress physiology, and behavioral studies. It enables accurate measurement of corticosterone levels, aiding in the understanding of its role in stress response, metabolic regulation, and animal behavior.