Cayman’s cAMP assay is a very sensitive competitive ELISA that permits cAMP measurements within the standard curve range of 0.078-10 pmol/ml, typically with a sensitivity (80% B/B0) of 0.1 pmol/ml once samples and standards have been acetylated prior to analysis. This assay has been validated with culture media, urine, tissue, and plasma samples. If you prefer to assay your samples and still achieve excellent sensitivity without the need to perform a pre-assay acetylation step we recommend using Cayman’s cAMP Select ELISA Kit.
Cyclic AMP is a ubiquitous cellular second messenger that is a critical component of a signal transduction pathway linking membrane receptors and their ligands to the activation of internal cellular enzymatic activity and gene expression. cAMP is synthesized from ATP by membrane-bound adenylate cyclase. Binding of certain ligands or hormones to their specific G-protein couple receptors activates GTP binding proteins (Gs or Gi) which either stimulate or inhibit adenylate cyclase. cAMP activates or inhibits various enzymes or cascade of enzymes by promoting their phosphorylation or dephosphorylation. The cAMP signal is neutralized by hydrolysis of cAMP to AMP by phosphodiesterases. Therefore, the concentration of cAMP in a cell is a function of the ratio of the rate of synthesis from ATP by adenylate cyclase and its rate of breakdown to AMP by specific phosphodiesterases.
