Application of Hydrogel Microspheres to Latex Diagnosis

Acrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, and methylene bisacrylamide were copolymerized in an aqueous ethanol to form monodisperse hydrogel latex particles. Antibody of C-reactive protein (CRP) was immobilized on the particles through a hydrophilic spacer. The resulting particles were moderately stable, and the agglutination was proportional to the concentration of CRP. They were little susceptible to the nonspecific adsorption of proteins and the aggregation by rheumatoid factor. Therefore, it was concluded that the hydrogel particles are a promising carrier of antibodies for latex diagnosis.