Editing Assay

'''Assay'''

An '''assay''' is an investigative procedure in [[laboratory]] medicine, [[pharmacology]], [[environmental biology]], and [[molecular biology]] for qualitatively assessing or quantitatively measuring the presence, amount, or functional activity of a target entity (the analyte). The analyte can be a [[drug]], a biochemical substance, or a cell in an organism or organic sample.

==Types of Assays==
Assays can be broadly categorized into several types based on their purpose and methodology:

===Biochemical Assays===
Biochemical assays are used to measure the concentration or activity of a biochemical substance. These include:
* [[Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay]] (ELISA)
* [[Radioimmunoassay]] (RIA)
* [[Western blot]]

===Cell-based Assays===
Cell-based assays are used to measure cellular responses to stimuli. These include:
* [[Cytotoxicity assay]]
* [[Proliferation assay]]
* [[Reporter gene assay]]

===Molecular Assays===
Molecular assays are used to detect specific sequences in DNA or RNA. These include:
* [[Polymerase chain reaction]] (PCR)
* [[Quantitative PCR]] (qPCR)
* [[Next-generation sequencing]] (NGS)

===Environmental Assays===
Environmental assays are used to detect and quantify pollutants or other environmental factors. These include:
* [[Bioassay]]
* [[Chemical assay]]

==Applications==
Assays are crucial in various fields:
* In [[medicine]], assays are used for [[diagnosis]], [[prognosis]], and monitoring of diseases.
* In [[pharmacology]], they are used for [[drug discovery]] and [[drug development]].
* In [[environmental science]], assays help in monitoring and managing environmental pollutants.

==Procedure==
The procedure of an assay typically involves the following steps:
1. Sample collection
2. Sample preparation
3. Reaction setup
4. Detection and measurement
5. Data analysis

==Related Pages==
* [[Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay]]
* [[Polymerase chain reaction]]
* [[Western blot]]
* [[Bioassay]]
* [[Drug discovery]]
* [[Environmental monitoring]]

==Categories==
[[Category:Laboratory techniques]]
[[Category:Biochemistry]]
[[Category:Pharmacology]]
[[Category:Environmental science]]

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