What is Ouchterlony used for?

Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion (also known as passive double immunodiffusion) is an immunological technique used in the detection, identification and quantification of antibodies and antigens, such as immunoglobulins and extractable nuclear antigens.

What is Ouchterlony method?

The immunodiffusion (ID) test, also called the Ouchterlony test, allows antigen detection. Immunodiffusion refers to the movement of the antigen or antibody or both antigen and antibody molecules in a diffusion support medium.

How does the Ouchterlony test work?

The Ouchterlony assay demonstrates lattice formation in a gel. The radial immunodiffusion assay is used to quantify antigen by measuring the size of a precipitation zone in a gel infused with antibodies. Insoluble antigens in suspension will form flocculants when bound by antibodies.

What are the limitations of Ouchterlony?

In the absence of staining, the Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion assay is sensitive to 100ug/ml of specific antibody, however a limitation of the technique is that is requires high concentrations of both antigen and antibody and are relatively insensitive to antibodies with low affinities (Hornbeck 1991).

What antiserum means?

Antiserum, blood serum that contains specific antibodies against an infective organism or poisonous substance.

What is single and double immunodiffusion method also known as?

The commonly known types are: Single diffusion in one dimension (Oudin procedure) Double diffusion in one dimension (Oakley Fulthorpe procedure) Single diffusion in two dimension (radial immunodiffusion or Mancini method)

What is precipitin curve?

A precipitin curve, shown in Figure 1, refers to the rise, peak, and fall in amount of precipitate recovered as a fixed amount of serum is titrated with antigen. The maximum amount of precipitate forms when antigen and antibody are present in similar molar amounts (the equivalence zone).

What is the main principle of immunodiffusion?

PRINCIPLE: Immunodiffusion in gels encompasses a variety of techniques, which are useful for the analysis of antigens and antibodies. An antigen reacts with a specific antibody to form an antigen-antibody complex, the composition of which depends on the nature, concentration and proportion of the initial reactants.

What is the difference between double immunodiffusion and radial immunodiffusion?

In double diffusion precipitation, antigen and antibody overlaps and forms lines in the gel while in single immunodifusion, rings are formed as a result of precipitation.

Why is antiserum used?

Antiserums are produced in animals (e.g., horse, sheep, ox, rabbit) and man in response to infection, intoxication, or vaccination and may be used in another individual to confer immunity to a specific disease or to treat bites or stings of venomous animals.

What are examples of antiserum?

Antisera are prepared to combat certain diseases. They are in particular used to provide passive immunity against diseases. An example of this was when there was an Ebola outbreak and those that survived from the disease served as source for passive antibody transfusion to another suffering the disease.

How is double diffusion used in immunodiffusion?

Immunodiffusion in gels are classified as single diffusion and double diffusion. In Ouchterlony double diffusion, both antigen and antibody are allowed to diffuse into the gel. This technique can be used to test the similarity between antigens, for example in a study of evolution. Antigens from different species are loaded…

What does immunodiffusion of antigen or antibody mean?

Immunodiffusion of Antigen or Antibodies ! Immunodiffusion refers to the movement of antigen or antibody or both antigen and antibody molecules in a support medium by diffusion.

What are the different types of immunodiffusion tests?

Immunodiffusion. Immunodiffusion is a diagnostic test which involves diffusion through a substance such as agar which is generally soft gel agar (1%) or agarose (1%), used for the detection of antibodies or antigen. The commonly known types are 1. Single diffusion in one dimension (Oudin procedure) 2.

What makes the white line in immunodiffusion gel?

The immune complex precipitates in the gel to give a thin white line (precipitin line), which is a visual signature of antigen recognition.