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MSD Neurodegeneration Testing Services

MSD ECL Technology · Neurodegeneration Research

MSD Neurodegeneration Biomarker Assay Services

Ultra-Sensitive Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Assays for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury & Neuroinflammation Research.

From single-marker ultrasensitive S-PLEX assays to comprehensive 37-plex neuroinflammation panels — our ECL platform supports a broad range of neurodegenerative disease research applications, from target discovery through therapeutic development and cohort studies.

51+

Pre-Configured Panels

fg/mL

S-PLEX Sensitivity

Species Covered

25 µL

Sample Per Well

Explore Panels Request a Quote

Why MSD for Neurodegeneration Research?

Neurodegenerative diseases present a unique analytical challenge — many research-relevant biomarkers circulate at sub-picogram per milliliter concentrations in blood and CSF. MSD's electrochemiluminescence (ECL) technology offers fg/mL-level sensitivity, making it a powerful platform for quantifying low-abundance neurological biomarkers that traditional ELISA or bead-based multiplex assays cannot reliably measure. This is critical for longitudinal cohort studies, therapeutic development programs, and preclinical research where subtle biomarker changes carry significant biological meaning.

Key Advantages for Neuro Biomarker Research

S-PLEX ultrasensitive detection — fg/mL-level sensitivity for select low-abundance targets (p-Tau217, NfL, GFAP); V-PLEX panels support sub- to low-pg/mL detection for multiplex applications
Validated V-PLEX panels — ready-to-use kits with full analytical validation documentation (LOD, LLOQ, precision, linearity)
Low sample consumption — only 25 µL per well, preserving valuable longitudinal samples and precious CSF aliquots
High matrix tolerance — consistent performance across serum, plasma, and CSF, reducing matrix-related variability in multi-cohort studies
Multiplex capability — measure up to 10 analytes simultaneously from a single sample aliquot
Broad species coverage — Human, Mouse, Rat, Non-Human Primate, and multi-species panels for translational research

MSD ECL Neurodegeneration Assay Workflow

MSD ECL Detection: Electrochemiluminescence enables background-free, ultra-sensitive neuro biomarker quantification for research applications.

MSD Neurodegeneration Panel Portfolio Flagship

51+ pre-configured MSD panels for neurodegeneration research — from single-plex ultrasensitive assays to comprehensive multiplex profiling. All available as full-service (sample-to-data) or kit-only options.

Panel / Service	Key Analytes	Species	Type	Sensitivity
MSD p-Tau217 Ultrasensitive Assay	p-Tau217	Human	Service / Kit	fg/mL (S-PLEX)
MSD NfL (Neurofilament Light) Assay	Neurofilament L (NfL)	Human NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL (S-PLEX)
MSD GFAP Assay	GFAP	Human NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL (S-PLEX)
MSD Tau (pT231) Ultrasensitive Assay	Tau (pT231)	Human NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL (S-PLEX)
MSD Tau (pT181) Ultrasensitive Assay	Tau (pT181)	Human NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL (S-PLEX)
MSD Aβ40/Aβ42 Assay	Aβ38, Aβ40, Aβ42 (6E10 & 4G8)	Human Mouse Rat	Service / Kit	pg/mL
MSD α-Synuclein Assay	α-Synuclein	Human	Service / Kit	pg/mL
MSD BDNF Assay	BDNF	Human	Service / Kit	pg/mL
MSD Neurodegeneration 3-Plex (Ultrasensitive)	GFAP, Neurofilament L, Tau (total)	Human NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL
MSD Tau & p-Tau 2-Plex Panel	Tau (Total), Tau (pT231)	Human	Service / Kit	fg/mL
MSD Aβ 3-Plex Panel (6E10)	Aβ38, Aβ40, Aβ42 (6E10)	Human	Service / Kit	pg/mL
MSD Aβ 3-Plex Panel (4G8) — Multi-Species	Aβ38, Aβ40, Aβ42 (4G8)	Multi-Species	Service / Kit	pg/mL
MSD Alzheimer's Disease Research 10-Plex	IL-16, MIF, Eotaxin, IL-1α, IL-12/IL-23p40, IL-17A, MCP-1, MDC, SDF-1α, YKL-40	Human	Service / Kit	pg/mL
MSD Neuroinflammation 37-Plex	CRP, Eotaxin, Eotaxin-3, FGF(basic), ICAM-1, IFN-γ, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12/IL-23p40, IL-13, IL-15, IL-16, IL-17A, IP-10, MCP-1, MCP-4, MDC, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, PlGF, SAA, TARC, Tie-2, TNF-α, TNF-β, VCAM-1, VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-1/Flt-1	Human	Service / Kit	sub-pg/mL
MSD Multiple Sclerosis Research 9-Plex	IL-7, CTACK, Fractalkine, GRO-α, IL-12/IL-23p40, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1β, MIP-3α	Human	Service / Kit	pg/mL
MSD Traumatic Brain Injury Research 10-Plex	IFN-γ, IL-6, TNF-α, VEGF-D, RANKL/TNFSF11, CD40L(soluble), Fractalkine, IL-1β, IL-18, MCP-1	Human	Service / Kit	pg/mL
NHP Neurodegeneration 3-Plex (Ultrasensitive)	GFAP, Neurofilament L, Tau (total)	NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL
NHP Tau (pT231 / pT181) Ultrasensitive Assay	Tau (pT231), Tau (pT181)	NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL
NHP NfL & GFAP Ultrasensitive Assay	NfL, GFAP	NHP	Service / Kit	fg/mL

Panel availability should be confirmed during project consultation. The panels listed represent our current MSD assay portfolio — contact us for the latest additions. Custom configurations and species cross-reactivity assessments available upon request. All services are for research use only.

Key Neurodegeneration Biomarkers

Our MSD platform supports the most intensively studied biomarkers in neurodegeneration research.

p-Tau217 High Interest

Phosphorylated Tau at threonine 217 — a leading blood-based biomarker for Alzheimer's disease research. Detected at fg/mL levels via S-PLEX technology. Widely used in cohort enrichment for therapeutic trials.

p-Tau217 Services →

Neurofilament Light (NfL)

A general marker of axonal injury studied across multiple neurodegenerative conditions — AD, MS, ALS, FTD, TBI. fg/mL ultrasensitive quantification in serum, plasma, and CSF for longitudinal research.

NfL Services →

GFAP

Glial fibrillary acidic protein — a marker of astrocyte activation investigated in Alzheimer's, TBI, and neuroinflammation research. Ultrasensitive fg/mL detection enables blood-based astrogliosis studies.

GFAP Services →

Tau & Phospho-Tau

Total Tau, p-Tau181, p-Tau231 — a comprehensive Tau phosphorylation profile for Alzheimer's pathology research and therapeutic target engagement studies.

Tau & p-Tau Services →

Aβ40 / Aβ42

Amyloid-beta peptides — central to Alzheimer's pathology research. Available with 6E10 (human) and 4G8 (multi-species) antibody clones. Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio for research use.

Aβ Services →

α-Synuclein

A key protein investigated in Parkinson's disease and synucleinopathy research. Sensitive quantification in CSF and evolving blood-based research applications.

α-Synuclein Services →

Which Panel Fits Your Research?

Start with your research goal — we'll help you find the right assay configuration.

Alzheimer's Blood Biomarkers

S-PLEX V-PLEX

p-Tau217 · p-Tau181/p-Tau231 · Aβ40/Aβ42 · AD Research 10-Plex

Axonal Injury & Neurodegeneration

S-PLEX

NfL — cross-disease axonal degeneration marker for MS, ALS, TBI, and AD research

Astrocyte Activation

S-PLEX

GFAP — astrocyte-specific marker for TBI, Alzheimer's-related astrogliosis, and neuroinflammation

Broad Neuroinflammation Profiling

V-PLEX

Neuroinflammation 37-Plex — cytokines, chemokines, vascular markers, and growth factors

Parkinson's & Synucleinopathies

S-PLEX V-PLEX

α-Synuclein for disease-specific pathology + Neuroinflammation 37-Plex for inflammatory context

Translational NHP Research

NHP-Validated

NHP-compatible S-PLEX and V-PLEX assays for p-Tau, NfL, GFAP. Contact us for species-specific feasibility.

Not sure which panel fits your study? Contact our scientific team for a free consultation — we'll help you design the optimal assay configuration.

MSD ECL Technology for Neuroscience Research

How electrochemiluminescence enables the sensitivity required for low-abundance neuro biomarker studies.

Why ECL Excels for Neuro Biomarkers

Background-free detection — ECL excitation is electrical, not optical; eliminates autofluorescence noise common in complex matrices like plasma
6-log dynamic range — measure fg/mL to µg/mL in a single run without serial dilution
SULFO-TAG labels — stable, non-enzymatic detection; no substrate timing variability that affects enzymatic assays
Carbon electrode surface — ~10× higher binding capacity than polystyrene ELISA plates
Lot-to-lot consistency — V-PLEX panels include bridging data between reagent lots for multi-year longitudinal studies

MSD Product Lines for Neuroscience

S-PLEX — Ultrasensitive single-analyte assays. Achieves fg/mL LOD via signal amplification. Designed for low-abundance targets (p-Tau217, NfL, GFAP). Single-plex format optimized for maximum sensitivity.
V-PLEX — Validated multiplex panels. Manufacturer-pre-validated with documented analytical performance. Ready-to-use with lot-to-lot bridging data. Supports up to 10-plex from a single 25 µL sample.
U-PLEX — Custom-configurable multiplex. Select any 2–10 analytes from available targets. Requires feasibility evaluation for novel combinations to ensure assay compatibility. Our team advises on panel design before ordering.
R-PLEX — Custom single-analyte development. For novel targets not covered by existing S-PLEX or V-PLEX assays. Requires antibody pairing and optimization — contact us for feasibility assessment.

MSD Neurodegeneration Assay Workflow

A standardized 5-step process — from study design consultation to data delivery.

1. Study Design Consultation

Discuss your research objectives with our scientific team. We help select appropriate biomarker panels, determine sample size requirements, and finalize the experimental design aligned with your study goals.

2. Sample Submission & Preparation

Ship your serum, plasma, or CSF samples following our collection guidelines. Minimum 25 µL per sample. Samples are accessioned, aliquoted, and stored at −80°C upon receipt with full chain-of-custody documentation.

3. MSD ECL Assay Execution

Assays performed on MESO QuickPlex SQ 120 or MESO SECTOR S 600 instruments. Each plate includes 8-point standard curves, QC controls, and blank wells. All runs follow documented SOPs.

4. Data Acquisition & QC Review

Raw ECL signals acquired via MESO Discovery Workbench. QC acceptance criteria: intra-plate CV <10%, inter-plate CV <15%, standard curve R² ≥ 0.99. Values outside the calibration range are flagged for re-analysis at appropriate dilution.

5. Data Delivery & Report

Comprehensive report including analyte concentrations, QC metrics, standard curve plots, raw ECL signal data, and a methods summary suitable for publication. Data delivered in Excel and PDF formats.

Technical Specifications

PlatformMSD MESO QuickPlex SQ 120 / SECTOR S 600

DetectionElectrochemiluminescence (ECL)

Sensitivity (LOD)fg/mL (S-PLEX); 0.05–1 pg/mL (standard)

Dynamic RangeUp to 6 logs

Multiplex Capacity1–10 analytes per well

Sample Volume25 µL per well (undiluted)

Intra-Plate CV<6–8%

Inter-Plate CV<10%

Sample TypesSerum, Plasma, CSF, Tissue Lysate

Read Time~70 seconds per plate

Signal StabilityStable; not light-sensitive

SpeciesHuman, Mouse, Rat, NHP, Multi-species

Sample Collection & Shipping

Collection protocols and practical guidance for sample preparation and shipment.

Serum

Collect in serum separator tubes (SST). Allow 30 min clotting at RT. Centrifuge at 1,500×g for 10 min. Aliquot and freeze at −80°C. Volume requirements vary by panel — typically 50–200 µL per aliquot. We'll confirm the exact amount after panel selection.

Plasma (EDTA)

Collect in EDTA tubes. Centrifuge within 30 min at 1,500×g for 10 min. Transfer supernatant, aliquot, and freeze at −80°C. Volume varies by panel size and replication needs — we'll advise during study design. Heparin and citrate tubes also acceptable for most panels.

CSF

Collect in polypropylene tubes. Centrifuge at 2,000×g for 10 min at 4°C. Aliquot immediately and store at −80°C. Low-volume compatible — as little as 25 µL per well. Discuss minimum viable volume with our team for your specific panel.

Shipping: Samples should be shipped on dry ice via overnight courier. We provide sample collection kits (tubes, labels, shipping containers) upon request. International shipments: contact us for customs documentation support.
Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Note freeze-thaw count on each aliquot. Hemolyzed or lipemic samples may affect certain analytes — we'll flag any concerns during QC review rather than silently excluding data.

What You Receive

Every MSD assay engagement includes a complete data package designed for research documentation and publication.

Quantitative Data Report

Analyte concentrations for all samples with QC metrics (intra-plate CV, inter-plate CV), standard curve parameters (R², back-fit accuracy), and LOD/LLOQ values per analyte. Delivered in Excel (.xlsx) and PDF formats.

Raw Data & Plots

Raw ECL signal values for every well, 8-point standard curve plots with fitted curves, QC sample trend charts, and plate layout maps for full traceability. Compatible with downstream analysis in R, Python, or GraphPad Prism.

Methods Summary

A detailed methods section describing assay protocol, reagents, instrument settings, and acceptance criteria — formatted for direct inclusion in manuscript Methods sections or supplementary materials.

Why Partner With Creative Proteomics for MSD Assays

What sets our MSD service apart — beyond the platform's inherent capabilities.

Dedicated Scientific Support

Every project is assigned a lead scientist who consults on panel selection, sample preparation, and data interpretation. Direct communication — no sales handoff after contract signing.

Flexible Service Model

Choose full-service (sample-to-report) or kit-only delivery. Custom panel configurations via U-PLEX. Same-day re-runs at no extra charge for QC failures. Adjust scope mid-study as research questions evolve.

Consistent Turnaround

Project timelines aligned to your study schedule. Expedited options available for time-sensitive studies. Real-time status updates throughout the project lifecycle.

Data Continuity

We track reagent lots and instrument conditions across your projects. Re-analyze stored samples when new panels become available. Long-term data archiving with secure retrieval for multi-year studies.

Publication Support

Methods-ready documentation, figure-ready plots, and statistical consultation. Our clients routinely publish in high-impact journals using data generated on our MSD platform.

Quality Consistency

Every plate includes multi-level QC samples with pre-defined acceptance windows. Lot-to-lot reagent bridging for longitudinal studies. Detailed deviation reports when values fall outside expected ranges — no silent data delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between S-PLEX and standard MSD assays?

S-PLEX is MSD's ultrasensitive assay format achieving fg/mL-level detection — approximately 10–100× more sensitive than standard MSD assays. It incorporates an enhanced signal amplification step specifically designed for low-abundance biomarkers like p-Tau217, NfL, and GFAP in blood. Standard MSD assays typically achieve LODs in the 0.05–1 pg/mL range, which is sufficient for most cytokines, chemokines, and moderately abundant proteins.

Which sample type is recommended for neuro biomarker research — serum, plasma, or CSF?

CSF provides the highest biomarker concentrations and is closest to the brain compartment, making it valuable for CNS-focused studies. For large-scale cohort studies and longitudinal trials, blood (serum or plasma) is more practical. Thanks to MSD's fg/mL sensitivity, biomarkers like p-Tau217 and NfL can now be reliably measured in blood. We generally recommend EDTA plasma for most neuro biomarker applications, as it has shown good correlation with CSF measurements across published studies. Serum is also acceptable for most panels. We advise using the same matrix consistently within a given study.

How does MSD compare to Simoa for p-Tau217 and NfL detection in research?

Both MSD S-PLEX and Simoa (Quanterix) achieve fg/mL sensitivity. Key differences for research applications: MSD uses electrochemiluminescence with carbon electrode plates and SULFO-TAG labels — providing a wider dynamic range (6 logs) and stable signal independent of light exposure. MSD also supports multiplexing (up to 10-plex). Simoa uses single-molecule counting in femtoliter-volume wells — offering very low LOD for certain analytes but typically limited to 1–4 plex. For studies requiring multiplexed neuro biomarker panels alongside ultrasensitive single markers, MSD offers greater workflow efficiency. See our MSD vs Simoa comparison page for detailed platform analysis.

Can I customize a panel combining neuro biomarkers with other analytes?

Yes. Through the MSD U-PLEX platform, you can create custom panels with any 2–10 analytes from our available neuro biomarker catalog. Each U-PLEX assay uses individually coated linker-coupled antibodies, providing full flexibility in panel design. Our scientific team can help evaluate analyte compatibility and optimize the multiplex configuration. Custom assay development for novel targets is also available through our R-PLEX and custom development services.

What QC data is included with each assay?

Every MSD assay includes: (1) 8-point standard curve with R² and back-fit accuracy; (2) QC samples (low, medium, high) on each plate; (3) intra-plate CV for each analyte; (4) inter-plate CV for multi-plate studies; (5) LOD and LLOQ determination per analyte; (6) raw ECL signal data; (7) dilution linearity verification for the sample matrix. Full validation documentation is available for V-PLEX panels.

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