ELISPOT is an immunological assay based on ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay). Basically, the difference between the two is that in ELISA, the substance containing the "unknown" is stuck at the bottom of the well, whereas in ELISPOT the substance with the "unknown" is placed in the well after the bottom of the well has been coated with cytokine-specific antibody. In both cases, the wells are typically contained within a generic microtiter plate.

The ELISPOT method is most often used to determine the amount (i.e. the concentration) of activated antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cells in a given sample of splenocytes harvested from immunized animals, usually mice.

External links

• An animated depiction of the cytokine ELISPOT assay process
• Examples of patterns formed in the course of an ELISPOT assay