Screening and differentiation test for the detection of liver-specific antibodies, antibodies against mitochondria (AMA), antibodies against cell nuclei (ANA), antibodies against smooth muscle (ASMA), F-actin and other autoantibodies.
The BIOCHIP Mosaic™ consists of 6 substrates: human epithelial cells (HEp-2), primate liver, rat kidney, rat liver, rat stomach, VSM47. Thus, a broad spectrum of antigens is present, allowing not only targeted serological diagnoses, but also frequently yielding additional results with clinical relevance.
Antibodies against cell nuclei (ANA) can be particularly well demonstrated using HEp-2 cells and primate liver, and are identified according to their fluorescence patterns. However, they also stain the cell nuclei of the other tissues more or less intensely. Clinical significance: rheumatic diseases, primary biliary cirrhosis (antibodies against nuclear dots).
Antibodies against mitochondria (AMA) show a granular cytoplasmic fluorescence on all 6 substrates. With the standard substrate rat kidney, the proximal and distal tubule cells fluoresce equally. Clinical significance: primary biliary cirrhosis.
Autoantibodies against liver-kidney microsomes (anti-LKM) react with rat liver and rat kidney (see below). The other substrates are essentially negative.
In the case of autoantibodies against smooth muscles (ASMA), the tunica muscularis, the lamina muscularis mucosa as well as the interglandular contractile fibrils fluoresce on the rat stomach. ASMA directed against the target antigen F-actin furthermore react with the cytoskeleton of HEp-2 cells and the bile canaliculi of primate liver. The substrate VSM47 reacts very specifically, showing a filamentous, needle-like fluorescence. Clinical significance: autoimmune (lupoid) chronic active hepatitis.
The BIOCHIP Mosaic™ can be supplemented as required with additional substrates, e.g. Crithidia luciliae (antibodies against dsDNA), musculus iliopsoas (antibodies against skeletal muscles), heart (antibodies against striated muscles, antibodies against intercalated disks, AMA M7), different EUROPLUS substrates (AMA M2, Sp100, SLA/LP, LC-1, LKM).
