Recent advances in multiplexed electrochemiluminescence immunoassays

Abstract

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassays have emerged as a powerful method for multiplex biomarker detection due to their advantages of low background noise, high sensitivity, and ease of miniaturization, holding significant applications in precision medicine and in vitro diagnostics (IVD). This article systematically reviews recent advances in ECL-based multiplex immunoassays, focusing on two primary strategies for achieving multiplex detection. One is the spectrum-resolved strategy that enables differentiation of multiple targets by utilizing multicolor ECL luminophores, such as metal complexes and quantum dots, which emit light at distinct wavelengths. The other is the spatially resolved strategy that employs technologies including microarrays, microfluidic chips, and encoded microbeads to physically separate detection sites, allowing high-throughput analysis with just one luminophore. This review summarizes innovative designs under both strategies aimed at enhancing detection performance, discusses their applications in the diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disorders, and addresses current challenges related to analytical performance, system integration, and clinical use. Finally, prospects for ECL technology in IVD and precision medicine are outlined.