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What is bead aggregation?

The Luminex system will only record the reporter fluorescence data from beads read individually. Beads can clump together (aggregate) in some kind of complex when something in the sample acts non-specifically with the capture antibodies.

The presence of particulate matter in the reaction well can also result in bead aggregation, and whilst we filter all samples prior to assay performance, there is always the potential for particulate matter smaller than 0.22um to pass through the filter and be aspirated and pipetted into the bead array.

If there is significant aggregation, the system can have a hard time finding acceptable data.

In the image below, observe clumped/aggregated beads.