면역측정법의 주요 발전 단계를 3가지로 구분한다. 즉 첫 발전 단계(제 1세대)는 방사성 호르몬(방사선 추적자, radiolabeled analyte marker)을 이용한 길항적 측정방법의 개발과 보급이다. 두 번째(제 2세대)는 단가 항체(monoclonal antibody, McAb)를 추적자로 만들고, 비방사성 표지자를 이용하여 비경쟁적 초감도의 측정방법이 면역진단 분야에 적용되는 단계이다. 세 번째(제 3세대)의 발전은 최소량화, 칩을 이용하는
The three important phases in the development of ligand immunoassays are identified and summarized. The competitive radiolabelled hormone measurement had been developed in the first and early in the second generations(1950s to 1960s), such as radioimmunoassays(RIA) or immunoradiometric(saturation) assays(IRMA), and used in all most of the hormone and also analyte in biological samples. In the second generation, ultrasensitive non-isotopic immunoassays(NIA) were developed using monoclonal antibodies(McAb), labelling the McAb and high specific activity non-isotopic labels. After their usefulness, advantages and disadvantages has been evaluated and non-competitive methods are discussed. The chip/microarray based multianalyte ligand assays(microspot or genechip methods) are developed and known as alternative ones in the third generation. We summarize the developments of NIAs and its usefulness, and then introduce briefly the new ligand assays.