Immunofluorescence in Clinical Immunology

Immunofluorescence, a suitable laboratory method for themicroscopic demonstration of antigens and antibodies in biologicalmaterials, useable, for example, to provide evidence for thepathogenesis of disease in histological or cytological preparations andfor tumour cell differentiation. For this reason immunofluorescence hasa decisive role as the method of choice for the diagnosis of auto-immunediseases. This primer on immunofluorescence techniques, which firstappeared in 1979, is a richly illustrated handbook suitable for everydaypractical work in the laboratory, useable as both an introduction to thesubject as well as an atlas. In hardly any other area of medicine arethere so many new findings to report. The second edition of this book isconcerned not only with the detection methods which now form anessential and established part of diagnostic techniques, but also withthe most recent research results such as the discovery of antibodiesagainst Auerbach's plexus and against podocytes. . .

1 Introduction to the basic principles and techniques of immunofluor-escence. - 2 Production of antibodies and labelling with fluorochromes. - 3 Characterisation and quality control of antisera and conjugates. - 4 Actual optical immunofluorescence techniques. - 5 Instrumental technique and the documentation of findings. - 6 General advice. - 7 Applications of immunofluorescence.