Final answer:
The statement is false; the ELISA test does not allow for the sorting of cells but is used for detection and quantification of antigens or antibodies. Cell sorting is performed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), which is based on the fluorescence emitted by cells marked with specific antibodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the ELISA test allows a researcher to sort cells expressing a desired cell surface marker is false. Instead, ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays) is a technique used to detect and quantify specific antigens or antibodies in a solution. For cell sorting based on surface markers, a technology called fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) is utilized, not ELISA. FACS employs fluorescence to identify and separate cells with specific characteristics, such as the presence of a particular cell surface marker.
ELISA involves immobilizing antigens in the wells of a microtiter plate and using enzyme-conjugated antibodies to detect the presence of these antigens through a colorimetric change, without physically sorting the cells. Even though both techniques use antibodies, their functions are distinct: ELISA is for detection and quantification of antigens or antibodies, while FACS is for physical sorting of cells.