Immunofluorescence

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(Redirected from Immunofluorescent)

Immunofluorescence[edit | edit source]

Illustration of a microscope with fluorescent samples, demonstrating the process of immunofluorescence.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Immunofluorescence is a laboratory technique that utilizes the fluorescence property of certain substances to detect or quantify antibodies or antigens in tissue samples or cell preparations. This method combines immunological and fluorescence techniques to achieve high specificity and sensitivity.

Photo of a laboratory setting with scientists conducting immunofluorescence experiments.

Principle[edit | edit source]

The principle of immunofluorescence involves labeling antibodies with a fluorescent dye. When these labeled antibodies bind to their specific antigens in a sample, the location of the antigen can be visualized under a fluorescence microscope due to the emitted light from the dye.

Types[edit | edit source]

There are two main types of immunofluorescence:

  1. Direct Immunofluorescence: In this method, the fluorescent dye is directly conjugated to the primary antibody.
  2. Indirect Immunofluorescence: Here, the primary antibody is not labeled. Instead, a secondary antibody, which is conjugated to the fluorescent dye, binds to the primary antibody.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Immunofluorescence is widely used in various fields such as:

Advantages and Limitations[edit | edit source]

  • Advantages: High specificity, sensitivity, and the ability to visualize multiple targets simultaneously.
  • Limitations: Photobleaching of fluorescent dyes and potential for nonspecific binding.

Laboratory Procedure[edit | edit source]

The basic steps in an immunofluorescence procedure are:

  1. Sample preparation
  2. Application of antibodies
  3. Washing to remove unbound antibodies
  4. Visualization under a fluorescence microscope

Safety and Handling[edit | edit source]

Proper safety measures should be taken while handling fluorescent dyes and biological samples.

Related Techniques[edit | edit source]

Immunofluorescence is related to techniques like Flow Cytometry and ELISA which also use antibodies for detection.


External Links[edit | edit source]

Immunofluorescence Resources
Wikipedia
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