BIO 3124 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Complement Fixation Test, Gram Staining, Antigen
7 Dec 2016
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Establish and confirm the etiology of the disease. Track the progression of the infection in the patient. To determine if a treatment is beneficial or not. Allow you to identify infectious agent or follow the progression of an infectious agent. In both cases, these are exclusive for bacterial pathogens and cannot be used on viral pathogens. When antibodies react with multiple epitopes on soluble antigens, there if formation of networks which generate an insoluble precipitate. Precipitation reactions can take place in solution of in gels such as agar. You can use this test to determine if an antigen or an antibody is present. The precipitate formation is influenced by the concentration of ag-ab. Relies on optimal ration of antigen to antibody. If you are off you will not generate the aggregate and you will not get a precipitate. An precipitate will only form in the zone of equivalence, this occurs if the ratio is optimal.
