Clinical Biochemistry Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the clinical biochemistry lecture.

Immunodiffusion

Laboratory technique where antigens and antibodies diffuse through a gel matrix to form visible precipitation patterns.

Single Radial Immunodiffusion (SRID)

A type of immunodiffusion where antigen samples diffuse radially into a gel containing antibodies; ring diameter is proportional to antigen concentration.

Double Immunodiffusion (Ouchterlony Technique)

Both antigens and antibodies diffuse towards each other from separate wells, creating precipitation lines at equivalence zones.

Line of Identity

A complete fusion of precipitin lines between adjacent wells, indicating immunological identity between antigens.

Line of Non-Identity

Precipitin lines that cross each other, demonstrating that antigens are immunologically distinct.

Line of Partial Identity

Precipitin lines merge but form a spur at the junction, revealing antigens share some common epitopes but also possess unique determinants.

Radioimmunoassay (RIA)

A technique utilizing competition between radioactively labeled and unlabeled antigen for antibody binding sites to quantify antigen concentration.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (RIA)

RIA provides highly sensitive detection of drug levels, enabling precise dosage adjustments for medications with narrow therapeutic windows.

ELISA

Stands for Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, a biochemical technique used mainly in immunology to detect the presence of an antibody or an antigen in a sample.

Direct ELISA

Enzyme-labeled primary antibody directly binds to the immobilized antigen.

Indirect ELISA

Utilizes an unlabeled primary antibody specific to the target antigen, followed by an enzyme-conjugated secondary antibody.

Sandwich ELISA

Employs two antibodies that bind to different epitopes on the antigen, sandwiching it between them.

Competitive ELISA

Based on competition between sample antigen and added enzyme-labeled antigen for limited antibody binding sites.

Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)

Analysis provides critical information about a patient's acid-base balance, oxygenation, and ventilation status.

pH Measurement (ABG)

Quantifies the hydrogen ion concentration in blood, with normal range of 7.35-7.45.

Electrolytes

Charged minerals essential for numerous physiological processes including nerve conduction, muscle contraction, and fluid balance.

Ion-Selective Electrode (ISE)

Measure electrical potential differences across ion-selective membranes specific to each electrolyte.

Liver Function Tests (LFTs)

A panel of biochemical analyses that assess various aspects of hepatic function.

Kidney Function Tests (KFTs)

used to assess kidney function; includes Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Serum Creatinine, eGFR and Uric Acid.

Quality Control

Labs keep records of all quality control results, equipment maintenance, and any problems fixed.