Immunodiagnostic kits with reference to demand and availability- need for a national programme

Different immunodiagnostic kits for detection of pathogens [including viruses], and for the quantification of body fluids [including hormones and tumour markers] are available in the market. Since kit manufacturers use diverse antisera pools, their results differ in the measurement of the same analyte in body fluids. The present study discusses the problems related to the supply and demand of immunodiagnostic kits and methods which need to be adapted to overcome the hazards of varied results of analysis of the same analyte, through the initiation of a national programme

Isolation & characterization of tumour angiogenesis factor from solid tumours & body fluids from cancer patients.

Tumour angiogenesis factor (TAF) was isolated from malignant solid tumours (10) and from pleural and peritoneal fluids (10) collected from cancer patients. Normal tissues and body fluids from individuals with no clinical history of cancer did not show any detectable levels of TAF. Also, no angiogenic activity was detectable in the benign tumour samples studied (2). The TAFs isolated were all ribonucleoproteins. Molecular weight determination by SDS-PAGE (9%) of the TAFs isolated by DEAE cellulose chromatography of tumour extracts showed them to be 18,000 dalton (D) ribonucleoproteins, while the TAFs isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography (using immobilized anti-TAF IgG) of solid tumour extracts and body fluids had a molecular weight of 38,000 D. The TAFs isolated by both the methods were found to be angiogenic by the chick chorioallantoic membrane and the mouse intradermal assays. Immunoaffinity chromatography could be used for the one-step purification of TAF from solid tumour extracts as well as from body fluids.

Determinación del pH intracelular por distribución de ácido benzoico en S. cerevisiae, transporte de aminoácidos y gradiente de protones / Determination of internal pH of S. cerevisiae from the distribution of benzoic acid: amino acids transport and proton gradient

El (pHi) de Saccjaromyces cerevisiae, cepa silvestre y su mutante rhose determinó por el método de distribución intra-extracelilar del ácido 14C-benzoico. Los valores de pHi obtenidos (con un pH externo de 4,5) variarón con la depa de levadura y dependieron de las condiciones metabólicas de las mismas. En células de la cepa silvestre, energizada por incubación previa con glucosa 5 mM, el pHi osció entre 6,15-6,40 y el gradiente de protones a través de la membrana deltapH entre 1,65-1,90 ó -97 a -112 mV. Esos valores fueron mayores que los de células ayunadas: pHi 5,90, deltapH 1,40 ó -82 mV. En esas dos condiciones metabólicas, los valores en la mutante rho- fueron algo menores que en la cepa silvestre; levadura rho- energizada pHi 6,05, deltapH 1,55 ó -91 mV; levadura rho- ayunada pHi 5,70, deltapH 1,20 ó -71 mV. Los protonófros DNP y PCP produjeron una disminución del pHi del deltapH y una inhibición de la entrada de L-leucina por los sistemas S1, alta afinidad y baja velocidad y S2, baja afinidad y alta velocidad. Los valores de la disminución del deltapH y la inhibición del transporte de L-leucina obtenidos indican que no hay una relación estricta entre el deltapH y el proceso de transporte