The UK National External Quality Assessment Scheme in Blood Group Serology. ABO and D grouping, antibody screening, direct antiglobulin test and antibody identification 1984-1985.

In seven exercises of blood grouping the overall rates of major error were 0.19% and 0.25% in ABO and D grouping respectively.

Epitope specificities and quantitative and serologic aspects of monoclonal complement (C3c and C3d) antibodies.

Twenty-two monoclonal antibodies to human C3c and ten to C3d were obtained by hybridization after the immunization of mice with complement-coated human red cells and/or purified human complement components. C3c antibodies were variable in their agglutination reactions with cells coated with C3 by antibody in vitro; more consistent and potent reactions with these cells were observed with anti-C3d, and all anti-C3d reacted with red cells coated with C3 in vivo. Immunoradiometric assays were used to estimate antibody concentration, affinity, and epitope specificity.

The UK National External Quality Assessment Scheme in Blood Group Serology. Compatibility testing 1983-1984: the influence of variables in test procedures on detection of incomplete antibodies.

Error rates in exercises in compatibility testing varied between 3% and 36% over the six years 1979-1984. Evolution of serological procedures was continuous through this period but without clear evidence of improvement in performance of antibody detection although performance in the UK appears to be comparable with that elsewhere. Relationships have been established between a number of variables of reagents and techniques, and their performance.

Anti-platelet opsonic activity in alloimmune and autoimmune thrombocytopenia.

A chemiluminescence technique (CLT) has been developed which measures the interaction between human monocytes and antibody-coated (opsonized) platelets. This technique has an objective end-point, is simple to perform and is of comparable sensitivity to the platelet suspension immunofluorescence test (PSIFT) when used to detect anti-platelet allo-antibodies. In contrast, only 4/20 sera from patients with clinically diagnosed autoimmune thrombocytopenia were opsonic in the CLT, while 8/20 of these same sera bound IgG to platelets in the PSIFT.

Anti-granulocyte opsonic activity in sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Neutropenia is common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but mechanisms of cell depletion remain obscure. To investigate the possible autoimmune aetiology of neutropenia in SLE, sera from 31 patients with this disorder were tested for anti-granulocyte activity. Granulocyte-binding immunoglobulins were detected by indirect immunofluorescence, and the ability of patient sera to opsonize granulocytes was determined by measuring the chemiluminescent response of human monocytes to granulocytes sensitized by test sera.