An Introduction to Radioimmunoassay and Related Techniques, Volume 6

Chapter 1. The Background to Immunoassay. 2. Requirements for Immunoassays - Purified Ligand and Standards. 3. Requirements for Immunoassays - Tracer Using Radioisotopic Labels. 4. Requirements for Immunoassays - Tracer Ligand Using Non-Isotropic Labels. 5. Requirements for Immunoassays - Antibodies and Other Binding Proteins. 6. Requirements for Immunoassays - Separation Systems. 7. Requirements for Immunoassays - Extraction of Ligand from Biological Fluids, and Collection and Storage of Samples. 8. Requirements for Immunoassays - Calculation of Results. 9. Characteristics of Immunoassays - Sensitivity. 10. Characteristics of immunoassays - Specificity. 11. Characteristics of Immunoassays - Precision. 12. Characteristics of Immunoassays - Relation to Other Types of Assay. 13. Automation of Immunoassays. 14. Organisation of Assay Services. Appendix I,. Radiation Counters. Radiation Monitors. Appendix II. Suppliers of Reagents and Chemicals. Appendix III. Suppliers of General Reagents and Materials as Listed in Text. Appendix V. Safety Precautions in the Handling of Radioactive Isotopes.

Immunoassay procedures (isotopic and non-isotopic) have become one of the single most important techniques in present-day diagnostic medicine. This book is designed as an introductory test for the staff of clinical research laboratories who conduct or intend to conduct such techniques, and will be of great value to the clinicians who make use of such services. The volume takes a three-pronged approach in it's in-depth presentation: explanation of the basic principles and applications of radioimmunoassays and non-isotopic immunoassays; practical illustrations of the various steps involved in immunoassays; discussion of the problems and pitfalls in immunoassays and how to avoid them. This fifth revised edition is a worthy successor to it's predecessors in this famous "Laboratory Techniques" series.