Serology

Serology:- In the Serology Laboratory, analysis of blood samples is performed to check for the presence of antigens and antibodies (IgG and IgM) to help with the diagnosis of diseases and test immunity status.

1. Precipitation Test:- When soluble antigens and its homologous antibody molecules react, they sometimes form large polymeric macromolecules terminating into visible precipitate.

2. Agglutination Test:- Agglutination-test is that in which visible clumping or aggregation of cells or particles takes place due to the reaction of surface-bound antigens of such cells or particles with homologous antibodies.

3. Fluorescent-Antibody Technique (Immunofluorescence):- The fluorescent-antibody technique (immunofluorescence) is often used to identify unknown antigen.

4. Radioimmunoassay (RIA):- Radioimmunoassay (RIA) is a widely accepted and highly sensitive serological test in which one of the reactants—antibody, antigen or hapten—is radiolabeled with radioactive isotopes of elements like iodine (125I) or hydrogen (3H) are detected in situ by radioautography.

5. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA):- ELISA has been pioneered by two groups of scientists, one in Sweden by Engvall and Perlmann, and the other in Holland by Van Weeman and Schurs in 1972, and developed by Clark and Adams in 1977. ELISA is based on, as the name suggests, enzyme-linked antibodies adsorbed on some solid surface.

6. Complement Fixation Test:- Complement fixation refers to the ability of antigen-antibody complex to bind complement so that the latter becomes “fixed” and “used up”. The complement fixation is used in complement fixation test (CFT), which is very versatile and sensitive and can be used to detect extremely small ; mount of an antibody (as little as 0.04 μg) for a suspect microorganism in an individual’s serum.