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Protein Diagnostics

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Clinical and Laboratory Medicine Textbook

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Abstract

Protein diagnostics mainly deals with monoclonal gammopathies, conditions characterized by the presence of a monoclonal immunoglobulin (or part of it) in the blood or in the urine. This chapter first examines the clinical relevance of the condition, which ranges from clinically occult forms, represented by monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, to forms in which the clinical condition is determined by effects due to the peculiar characteristics of monoclonal immunoglobulin, to true neoplasms, such as multiple myeloma. Then the laboratory techniques that allow the management of patients with monoclonal gammopathy are described: protein electrophoresis (serum and urine), for the detection and quantification of the monoclonal component; immunological ty**, for the definition of the class and type of immunoglobulin involved; measurement of serum-free light chains and of the immunoglobulins not involved in monoclonality. In the second part, the other field of protein diagnostics is introduced, i.e., the measurement of some clinically relevant serum proteins. Those taken into consideration are albumin, α1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, β2-microglobulin, ceruloplasmin, complement, immunoglobulins, C-reactive protein, transthyretin. For each of these, a summary of the physicochemical characteristics and biological function is presented as well as indications for their appropriate clinical use.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Maria Stella Graziani

  2. General Laboratory, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy

    Anna Caldini

Authors
  1. Maria Stella Graziani
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  2. Anna Caldini
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Correspondence to Maria Stella Graziani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    Marcello Ciaccio

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Graziani, M.S., Caldini, A. (2023). Protein Diagnostics. In: Ciaccio, M. (eds) Clinical and Laboratory Medicine Textbook. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24958-7_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24958-7_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-24957-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-24958-7

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