Determining autoantibodies is very useful in clinical diagnostics. Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on Hep-2 cells is useful in the diagnosis of diseases such as lupus, connective tissue diseases, liver diseases and other autoimmune diseases. IIF on triple rat substrate (liver, kidney and stomach) is the most commonly used technique to identify antibodies to antimitochondria (AMA), smooth muscle (ASMA), anti-LKM, antireticulin (ARA) and antiparietal cells (APC).

The most commonly used technique to detect antiendomysial antibodies is IIF on monkey oesophagus, and it is very useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of celiac disease.

Its sensitivity and specificity are close to 100%

While the ELISA and Immunoblot techniques are reserved for detecting antibodies against specific antigens, this group of antigens includes RNP, Sm, SS-A (Ro), SS-B (La), Scl70, Jo-1. Antibodies against these antigens are found in various collagen diseases, with a different specificity and sensitivity for each specific disease.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is defined as a series of clinical manifestations that include artery and vein thromboses, thrombocytopenia and recurrent miscarriages as the main ones that define the antiphospholipid syndrome, associated with the presence of antibodies to phospholipids, whether they are antibodies to cardiolipin or lupus anticoagulant, the procedure to assess the antibodies to cardiolipin, both IgG and IgM, is performed by automated chemiluminescence, a very specific and sensitive assay.

The field of immunodeficiencies, as well as of haematology-oncology diseases, include quantification techniques for lymphoid cells, haematologic cell phenotyping, complement factors and plasma and immunoglobulin proteins.

Analysis techniques

  • Indirect immunofluorescence
  • Nephelometer
  • Flow cytometry
  • Automated and manual ELISA
  • Automated chemiluminescence
  • Immunoblot and Western Blot
  • Gel precipitation test
  • Haemagglutination and agglutination

Fields of action

  • Autoimmunity
  • Neuro-oncology
  • Infectious serology
  • Haematologic cell phenotyping
  • Quantification of plasma proteins and complement factors
  • Inflammation
  • HLA