This ELISA kit provides quantitative measurement of Ifna1 (interferon alpha 1) in mouse serum, plasma, and tissue homogenates, supporting research into innate antiviral immunity and type I interferon signaling. Because Ifna1 is produced in rapid, transient bursts—often peaking within hours of pathogen sensing—and circulates at extremely low concentrations, precise detection during narrow kinetic windows demands both high sensitivity and careful assay planning.
Detection Range: The 1.25–80 pg/mL range aligns with the characteristically low circulating levels of mouse Ifna1, which rarely exceed tens of pg/mL even during acute viral infection. Most serum and plasma samples can be assayed neat, though tissue homogenates from highly inflamed organs such as spleen or lung may require dilution.
Sensitivity: At 0.625 pg/mL, this kit detects Ifna1 at baseline and early post-infection timepoints when interferon levels are just emerging, capturing the initial innate immune response before amplification cascades engage.
Sample Compatibility: Validation across serum, plasma, and tissue homogenates enables researchers to correlate systemic Ifna1 levels with local production at infection sites—critical for dissecting compartmentalized innate immune responses in vivo.
Assay Efficiency: The 1–5 hour protocol and 50–100 µL sample volume accommodate time-course studies requiring multiple bleeds from individual mice, preserving statistical power without exceeding ethical blood volume limits.
This kit is particularly suited for studies of viral pathogenesis, TLR/STING pathway activation, and autoimmune interferonopathies in mouse models.