What are the applications of precipitation reactions?
• Precipitation reaction is the basic reaction for a number of techniques. • It is less sensitive for detecting antibodies. • Precipitation reactions in gels have several advantages rather than in liquid medium. • They have forensic application in identification of blood and seminal stains. What is zone of equivalence? In this, ratio of antigen-antibody is seen optimal which results in large multimolecular lattice, hence maximum precipitation is observed. What is zone of antibody excess? In this, the first available antigen is completely filled by antibody molecules. Hence, no antigenic determinant is left out free. Unreacted antibody is seen in large amount, hence poor lattice formation. What are the three distinct phases that a precipitation shows? The three distinct phases are Ascending part called ‘zone of antibody excess’. A peak called ‘zone of equivalence’. A descending part called ‘zone of antigen excess’. Give the mechanism of precipitation. Marrak proposed the lattice hypothe
