Immunofluorescence in Clinical Immunology

Immunofluorescence, a suitable laboratory method for the
microscopic demonstration of antigens and antibodies in biological
materials, useable, for example, to provide evidence for the
pathogenesis of disease in histological or cytological preparations and
for tumour cell differentiation. For this reason immunofluorescence has
a decisive role as the method of choice for the diagnosis of auto-immune
diseases. This primer on immunofluorescence techniques, which first
appeared in 1979, is a richly illustrated handbook suitable for everyday
practical work in the laboratory, useable as both an introduction to the
subject as well as an atlas. In hardly any other area of medicine are
there so many new findings to report. The second edition of this book is
concerned not only with the detection methods which now form an
essential and established part of diagnostic techniques, but also with
the most recent research results such as the discovery of antibodies
against 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.