[Possibilities for the use of immunofluorescence in clinical immunologic diagnosis]

Immunofluorescence techniques are increasingly used as a diagnostic tool in clinical immunology and pathology because of their flexibility and specificity. The main applications at present are: detection of circulating autoantibodies, detection of antigens in cells and cell membranes, detection of immune complexes in biopsy material and detection of circulating immune cells. The double immunofluorescence technique is the method of choice for the simultaneous detection of different antigens in the same localization. It has been successful used for the detection of hepatitis B surface and core antigen or for the hepatitis B surface antigen and the fourth component of complement in liver cells as well as new organ specific antibodies, e.g. against hormone producing cells, and skeletal motor endplates. The usual indirect immunofluorescence is also suitable for detecting of new antibodies, if the different staining patterns is taken into account and appropriate controls are performed (e.g. subtypes of antimitochondrial antibodies, antibodies to liver typical ribosomes, and to lamina propria of gastric mucosa.