[Possibilities and value of immunofluorescence in the diagnosis of endocrine diseases]

The indirect immunofluorescence (IFL) test is the method of choice for the detection of new organ-specific autoantibodies. It is also the standard method of detection of antibodies to pancreatic islet cells, adrenal cortex, and steroid-producing cells in gonads and placenta. A positive test is the essential diagnostic step to find out the etiology of some endocrine diseases, but the significance of this method varies in different organs. There is as yet no substitute for the IFL test in the determination of single cell antibodies within organs e.g. antibodies to endocrine cells of the pituitary and the gut. In some clinical situations it is advisable to look for the complement-fixing ability of cytoplasmic autoantibodies using the CF-IFL test and for scientific investigation the IFL test can be applied when looking for antigens on the surface of cells in suspension or culture.