AGENT AND METHOD OF MEASURING ANTIGEN OR ANTIBODY

PURPOSE:To detect the antigens and antibodies in a specimen with high sensitivity by adopting a specific polymer graft capsule as a carrier and applying the principle of the control of the material permeability of the capsule wall to the measurement of the antigens or antibodies. CONSTITUTION:The measuring agent is formed of the water-insoluble dye- permeable high-polymer capsule having 0.1-5mm average grain size, the antigens, antibodies or hapten fixed to the high-polymer capsule surface via a graft high polymer chain and a dye soln. held in the capsule. For example, low density polyethylene, nylon 6, etc., are used as the high-polymer capsule to be used for the measuring agent. The graft high-polymer chain having the functional group which can fix the antigens, antibodies or hapten is bonded to the high- polymer capsule prior to immobilizing said antigens, antibodies or hapten to said capsule. The dye soln. or more particularly an aq. soln. is held in the high-polymer capsule to obtain the antigen or antibody measuring agent. Measurement of the antigens or antibodies by the antigen or antibody measuring agent is executed by bringing this measuring agent into contact with a sample liquid which can contain the antigens or antibodies.