Connective Tissue Disorders

Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANA)

Serological tests for ANA play an important role in the diagnosis of various autoimmune connective tissue disorders, especially Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Scleroderma, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) and Sjögren's syndrome. ANA constitute one of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythermatosus (SLE). ANA are detected by indirect immunoflourescence (IFA) on HEp-2 or other substrates and by ELISA. By immunofluorescence ANA exhibit distinctive fluorescent patterns which are associated with a specific disease or subset of other collagen/vascular disorders (i.e. nucleolar antibodies are associated with scleroderma, anti-centromere antibodies are associated with CREST variant of scleroderma and homogeneous/rim antibodies with SLE). HEp-2 celll cultures and tissue selections are the most commonly used substrates to detect ANA. IMMCO's ANA detection methods are well-standardized, sensitive and specific.

Incidence of Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA)

Immunofluorescence Assays