|
Characteristics
|
IgD makes up about 1 % of proteins in the plasma membranes of immature B-lymphocytes (coexpressed with IgM) and is also found in serum in very small amounts. It is monomeric and incorporates the alphaheavy chain in its structure. IgD's function is currently unknown, as mice lacking IgD seem to retain normal immune responses (implying redundancy if not lack of function), and IgD ceases to be expressed in activated B-lymphocytes. It may function as a regulatory antigen receptor. IgD antibody reacts with surface immunoglobulin IgD delta chains. This antibody is useful when identifying Leukemias, Plasmacytomas, and B-cell lineage derived from Lymphomas, specifically Marginal Zone Lymphoma. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a complex technique in which immunological and histological detection methods are combined. In general, the manipulation and processing of tissues before immunostaining, especially different types of tissue fixation and embedding, as well as the nature of the tissues themselves may cause inconsistent results (Nadji and Morales, 1983). Endogenous pseudoperoxidase and peroxidase activity or endogenous biotin and alkaline phosphatase activity can cause non-specific staining results depending on the detection system used. Tissues that contain Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) can produce false positives when using HRP detection systems (Omata et al, 1980). Insufficient contrast staining and/or improper mounting of the sample may influence the interpretation of results.
|
