Immunodiffusion is a lab technique to detect antibodies and determine their concentration. Antigens and antibodies are added to a semi-solid medium, and visible precipitates are created if they bind. It takes at least 24 hours to mature, and false negatives can occur. It can be used for humans and animals, and doctors and researchers use it for diagnosis and treatment. Different labs offer different types of immunodiffusion tests.
Immunodiffusion is a laboratory testing technique that people can use to check for the presence of antibodies in a sample and determine its concentration. In this test, a technician adds antibodies and antigens separately to a plate filled with a semi-solid medium such as agar gel. The plate is left alone to mature, and as the antigens and antibodies diffuse through the medium, they bind to each other and create visible precipitates for the technician to see on the surface of the material. These can be used to confirm the presence of a given antibody and to determine the concentration present in the sample used for testing.
Various immunodiffusion techniques are used in laboratories, including double radial immunodiffusion and Ouchterlony. Sample materials may include human cell slurries, tissue scrapings, and other materials. In some tests, multiple holes are punched in the middle and filled with different antigens to test for a range of responses. If the sample contains antibody against one of the antigens placed in the gel, it will react, creating a line or a ring, depending on the sample and test type.
This is one among an assortment of immunology lab tests that people can use to gather information about a sample with unknown properties. If antibodies are present, it indicates that the sample is from a person actively fighting an infection or with a history of exposure to a certain antigen. The concentration can provide information about the timing of exposure. It usually takes at least 24 hours for the plate to mature so the technician can take a reading. There is also the risk of a false negative if there is a problem with the sample or with the antigens the technician uses in the test.
A doctor may request an immunodiffusion test to gather information about a patient, or this test may be part of scientific research. Antibodies and antigens need not be of human origin; the same test can also be used for animals. In the test results, the technician will discuss the materials used, whether a response occurred, and the intensity of the response. This information can be used to proceed with the diagnosis or treatment of the patient.
The tests available in a given laboratory vary. Most labs publish catalogs with information on testing capacity and pricing so people can decide where to send samples for testing. Laboratories that offer immunodiffusion tests may not offer all types, and this may be important to a doctor or researcher.
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