Performance analysis of automated evaluation of antinuclear antibody indirect immunofluorescent tests in a routine setting.

Purpose: Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on the human epithelial cell-line HEp-2 (or derivatives) serves as the gold standard in antinuclear antibody (ANA) screening. IIF, and its evaluation, is a labor-intensive method, making ANA testing a major challenge for present clinical laboratories. Nowadays, several automated ANA pattern recognition systems are on the market.

Multiparametric serological testing in autoimmune encephalitis using computer-aided immunofluorescence microscopy (CAIFM).

Autoantibodies against neuronal cell surface antigens are tightly associated with immunotherapy-responsive autoimmune encephalitis, and a considerable number of corresponding autoantigens has been identified in recent years. Most patients initially present with overlapping symptoms, and a broad range of autoantibodies has to be considered to establish the correct diagnosis and initiate treatment as soon as possible to prevent irreversible and sometimes even life-threatening damage to the brain. Recombinant cell-based immunofluorescence allows to authentically present fragile membrane-associated surface antigens and, in combination with multiparametric analysis in the form of biochip mosaics, has turned out to be highly beneficial for parallel and prompt determination of anti-neuronal autoantibodies and comprehensive differential diagnostics.

Evolutionary history of the mammalian synaptonemal complex.

The synaptonemal complex (SC), a key structure of meiosis that assembles during prophase I, has been initially described 60 years ago. Since then, the structure has been described in many sexually reproducing organisms. However, the SC protein components were characterized in only few model organisms.

Automated Evaluation of Crithidia luciliae Based Indirect Immunofluorescence Tests: A Novel Application of the EUROPattern-Suite Technology.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a severe rheumatic autoimmune disease with various clinical manifestations. Anti-dsDNA antibodies are an important immunological hallmark of SLE and their occurrence represents a major criterion for the diagnosis. Among the commonly applied test systems for determination of anti-dsDNA antibodies, the indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) using the flagellated kinetoplastida Crithidia luciliae is considered to be highly disease specific at moderate sensitivity.

Protein SYCP2 is an ancient component of the metazoan synaptonemal complex.

During the first meiotic prophase, chromosome synapsis is mediated by the synaptonemal complex (SC), an evolutionarily conserved meiosis-specific structure. In mammals, 7 SC protein components have been identified so far. Despite some controversy in the past, we have shown that SC proteins are ancient in metazoans and very likely formed an ancestral SC structure in the ancestor of metazoans.

Diagnostic profile on the IFA 40: HEp-20-10 - an immunofluorescence test for reliable antinuclear antibody screening.

Indirect immunofluorescence assay is the recommended gold standard to test for antinuclear antibodies (ANA), which are important biomarkers for systemic rheumatic autoimmune diseases. It is internationally accepted that indirect immunofluorescence assay ANA screening is most sensitive on human epithelial (HEp-2) cells. The cells present a multitude of antigens that display distinguishable localization patterns in interphase and mitotic cells in indirect immunofluorescence analysis.

The synaptonemal complex of basal metazoan hydra: more similarities to vertebrate than invertebrate meiosis model organisms.

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is an evolutionarily well-conserved structure that mediates chromosome synapsis during prophase of the first meiotic division. Although its structure is conserved, the characterized protein components in the current metazoan meiosis model systems (Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Mus musculus) show no sequence homology, challenging the question of a single evolutionary origin of the SC. However, our recent studies revealed the monophyletic origin of the mammalian SC protein components.

Phylogenies of central element proteins reveal the dynamic evolutionary history of the mammalian synaptonemal complex: ancient and recent components.

During meiosis, the stable pairing of the homologous chromosomes is mediated by the assembly of the synaptonemal complex (SC). Its tripartite structure is well conserved in Metazoa and consists of two lateral elements (LEs) and a central region (CR) that in turn is formed by several transverse filaments (TFs) and a central element (CE). In a previous article, we have shown that not only the structure, but also the major structural proteins SYCP1 (TFs) and SYCP3 (LEs) of the mammalian SC are conserved in metazoan evolution.

Hydra meiosis reveals unexpected conservation of structural synaptonemal complex proteins across metazoans.

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a key structure of meiosis, mediating the stable pairing (synapsis) of homologous chromosomes during prophase I. Its remarkable tripartite structure is evolutionarily well conserved and can be found in almost all sexually reproducing organisms. However, comparison of the different SC protein components in the common meiosis model organisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and Mus musculus revealed no sequence homology.

The mammalian synaptonemal complex: protein components, assembly and role in meiotic recombination.

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous structure of chromosome bivalents whose assembly is indispensable for the successful progression of the first meiotic division of sexually reproducing organisms. In this mini-review we will focus on recent progress dealing with the composition and assembly of the mammalian SC. These advances mainly resulted from the systematic use of knockout mice for all known mammalian SC proteins as well as from protein polymerization studies performed in heterologous systems.

A novel mouse synaptonemal complex protein is essential for loading of central element proteins, recombination, and fertility.

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous, meiosis-specific structure that is highly conserved in evolution. During meiosis, the SC mediates synapsis of homologous chromosomes. It is essential for proper recombination and segregation of homologous chromosomes, and therefore for genome haploidization.