Abstract
The immunofluorescent staining properties of three FITC-labelled anti-human IgG rabbit globulin preparations with very similar antibody concentration (595, 570 and 565 μg/ml), but different molar fluorescein/protein ratios (4.2, 1.4 and 0.7) were compared by means of indirect immunofluorescence chessboard titrations. A selected serum from a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus containing antinuclear factors was tested on formalinized chicken red blood cells using incident light illumination. Both visual and photometric readings were taken. The characteristic pattern of chessboard titrations with a constant titre (plateau titre) over a wide range of conjugate dilutions followed by an abrupt fall (plateau end-point) was obtained and showed good correlation by both methods of evaluation. The height of the plateau titre increased with increasing fluorescein/protein ratio, but no linear relationship could be established with the three conjugates under investigation. The plateau end-point was encountered at conjugate dilutions containing similar antibody concentrations namely 9.3, 8.9 and 8.8 μg/ml. From the good correlation between photometric and visual readings it is concluded that chessboard titrations provide an objectively-acceptable method for the evaluation of fluorescent conjugates and adoption of the procedure by manufacturers of conjugates is suggested.
Full text
PDF











Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Albini B., Wick G. Erythrocyte-specific anti-nuclear factors in chickens of the obese strain (OS). Immunology. 1971 Dec;21(6):957–966. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bergquist N. R., Bergstrand A., Wasserman J. A standardized immunohistological study of kidney biopsies. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1971 Jun 21;177:234–240. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1971.tb35053.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Beutner E. H., Holborow E. J., Johnson G. D. A new fluorescent antibody method: mixed antiglobulin immunofluorescence or labelled antigen indirect immunofluorescence staining. Nature. 1965 Oct 23;208(5008):353–355. doi: 10.1038/208353a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Beutner E. H., Sepulveda M. R., Barnett E. V. Quantitative studies of immunofluorescent staining. Relationships of characteristics of unabsorbed antihuman IgG conjugates to their specific and non-specific staining properties in an indirect test for antinuclear factors. Bull World Health Organ. 1968;39(4):587–606. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- COONS A. H., KAPLAN M. H. Localization of antigen in tissue cells; improvements in a method for the detection of antigen by means of fluorescent antibody. J Exp Med. 1950 Jan 1;91(1):1–13. doi: 10.1084/jem.91.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Espmark J. A., Grandien M., Bergquist N. R. Quantitative evaluation of direct and indirect immunofluorescence tests for viral antigens. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1971 Jun 21;177:98–112. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1971.tb35036.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GABLER F., GUBISCH W., LIPP W., RUKER O. [The reflex photometer. A new construction principle for microscopic spectrophotometry]. Mikroskopie. 1960 Dec;15:218–226. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GOLDMAN M., CARVER R. K. Microfluorimetry of cells stained with fluorescent antibody. Exp Cell Res. 1961 Mar;23:265–280. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(61)90037-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Goldman M. An improved microfluorimeter for measuring brightness of fluorescent antibody reactions. J Histochem Cytochem. 1967 Jan;15(1):38–45. doi: 10.1177/15.1.38. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hale W. L., Bergquist R. Chessboard analyses with antinuclear antibodies. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1971 Jun 21;177:354–360. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1971.tb35065.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Irvine W. J., Chan M. M., Williamson W. G. The application of microphotometry to the indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique using the human gastric parietal cell antigen-antibody system. Clin Exp Immunol. 1969 May;4(5):607–617. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Johnson G. D., Beutner E. H., Holborow E. J. Developments in immunofluorescence: the need for standardization. J Clin Pathol. 1967 Sep;20(5):720–723. doi: 10.1136/jcp.20.5.720. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KUNZ C. THE USE OF THE IMMUNOFLUORESCENT METHOD AND MICROPHOTOMETRY FOR THE DIFFERENTIATION OF ARBOVIRUSES. Virology. 1964 Dec;24:672–674. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(64)90225-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MCKINNEY R. M., SPILLANE J. T., PEARCE G. W. FLUORESCEIN DIACETATE AS A REFERENCE COLOR STANDARD IN FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY STUDIES. Anal Biochem. 1964 Dec;9:474–476. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(64)90208-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mansberg H. P., Kusnetz J. Quantitative fluorescence microscopy: fluorescent antibody automatic scanning techniques. J Histochem Cytochem. 1966 Mar;14(3):260–273. doi: 10.1177/14.3.260. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nairn R. C., Herzog F., Ward H. A., De Boer W. G. Microphotometry in immunofluorescence. Clin Exp Immunol. 1969 Jun;4(6):697–705. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nairn R. C. Standardization in immunofluorescence. Clin Exp Immunol. 1968 Jul;3(6):465–476. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pittman B., Herbert G. A., Cherry W. B., Taylor G. C. The quantitation of nonspecific staining as a guide for improvement of fluorescent antibody conjugates. J Immunol. 1967 Jun;98(6):1196–1203. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ploem J. S. The use of a vertical illuminator with interchangeable dichroic mirrors for fluorescence microscopy with incidental light. Z Wiss Mikrosk. 1967 Nov;68(3):129–142. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sernetz M., Thaer A. A capillary fluorescence standard for microfluorometry. J Microsc. 1970 Feb;91(1):43–52. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1970.tb02202.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wick G., Beutner E. H. Quantitative studies of immunofluorescent staining. 3. Comparison of different antigens in an indirect immunofluorescent staining system for human IgG using the basement zone antibodies of bullous pemphigoid. Immunology. 1969 Feb;16(2):149–156. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- ten Veen J. H., Feltkamp T. E. Formalinized chicken red cell nuclei as a simple antigen for standardized antinuclear factor determination. Clin Exp Immunol. 1969 Dec;5(6):673–678. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- ten Veen J. H., Feltkamp T. E. Studies on the standardization of antinuclear antibody (ANA) determination. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1971 Jun 21;177:346–353. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1971.tb35064.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

