Immunological Methods of Analysis

Table 7.2 Immunological methods of analysis. Demonstrable reactions between antibodies and antigens...

Much of the information has been updated for the second edition to reflect substantial changes in the subject. The edition of a chapter on nucleic acids was considered essential and complements the original chapters on the chemical nature and methods of analysis of other important biological molecules. We are indebted to Dr Susan Laird for compiling this chapter and also to Mr Robert Smith for the major update on immunoassays in the immunological methods chapter. 

A certain amount of specialized training will be required for other methods of analysis. Proper understanding of immunology and serology would be required of the senior investigator to interpret the results properly, but this requirement is no more of an imposition or deterrent for these techniques than it is for other methods of analysis. 

The methods of analysis chosen for confirmatory investigations should be more sensitive than the primary method. For example, if the positive result of an immunological group test is to be confirmed, the exact nature of the substance to be determined accurately is not yet known. Even a mixture of substances could have given the positive result. In this case a chromatographic confirmation of the result is only possible if the detection sensitivities of the methods for the substances of the group test lie well below the cut-off values of the immunological method used. 

The first studies dealing with the quantitative determination of CDT in sera from alcohol abusers were performed by conventional lEF with immunological detection. This method can easily detect genetic variants and has the power to resolve individual isoforms. However, it is laborious and time consuming [178,184]. Since then, a number of CDT methods of analysis, such as anion-exchange chromatography, chromatofocusing, HPLC, and CZE have been developed [176,184]. 

In addition to these approaches, there have been some attempts to monitor immunological reactions directly using both potentiometric and voltammetric methods of analysis. In the early 1950 s, Breyer and RadclifF reported their results on the use of polarography to study the interaction of an azoprotein with a specific antiserum raised in a rabbit. In the presence of non-specific antisera, no decrease (other than that due to a diluent effect) was seen in the polarographic wave due to the antigen. A sharp decrease in this signal was noted, however, when the specific antiserum was added to the cell. 

Analysis of Antigens in Cotton Dust by Immunological Methods... 

SEKUL AND DRY Analysis of Antigens by Immunological Methods 273 Literature cited... 

Hosoda H, Ishikawa E (1993) Coupling of haptens to carriers and to labels. In Masseyeff RF, Albert WH, Staine NA (eds.) Methods of immunological analysis. Samples and reagents. VCH, Weinheim, p... 

Although microbiological and HPLC methods are the most commonly used methods for analysis of vitamins, there are some immunological methods... 

Radiolabeling and the Analysis of Thy-1 Active Glycolipids. The amount of Thy-1 active glycolipids in brain, thymocytes or lymphoma cells was found to be extremely small and could only be detected by immunological methods and not by chemical means. 

The journal that specializes in research reports about flow techniques and flow analysis (as well as image analyis) is Cytometry. Its paired publication is Communications in Clinical Cytometry. The Journal of Immunological Methods is also often useful in this regard. 

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