immunofluorescence /im·mu·no·flu·o·res·cence/ (-fldbobr-res´ens) a method of determining the location of antigen (or antibody) in a tissue section or smear by the pattern of fluorescence resulting when the specimen is exposed to the specific antibody (or antigen) labeled with a fluorochrome.
immunofluorescence
im·mu·no·fluo·res·cence ( m y -n -fl -r s ns, -flô-, -my -)n. Any of various methods that use antibodies chemically linked to a fluorescent dye to identify or quantify antigens in a tissue sample. |
immunofluorescence
[-floo͡res′əns]
Etymology: L, immunis + fluere, to flow
a technique used for the rapid identification of an antigen by exposing it to known antibodies tagged with the fluorescent dye fluorescein and observing the characteristic antigen-antibody reaction of precipitation. As the fluorescent antibody reacts with its specific antigen, the precipitate appears luminous in the ultraviolet light projected by a fluorescent microscope. Many of the most common infectious organisms can be identified by this technique. Among them are Candida albicans, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, and several viruses, including rabies virus and many enteroviruses. See also fluorescent antibody test, fluorescent microscopy. immunofluorescent, adj.
immunofluorescence
a method of determining the location of antigen (or antibody) in a tissue section or smear using a specific antibody (or antigen) labeled with a fluorochrome. In the direct methods, the fluorochome is chemically linked to the specific antibody. In indirect methods, a labeled anti-immunoglobulin that binds to the specific antibody is used. See also fluorescence microscopy.
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