ABSTRACT
This chapter shows two types of clinical uses for immunoglobulin-bound latex particles. One is the established diagnostic use to detect rheumatoid factor with simple adsorption of immunoglobulins, of antigenic substances in the form of reverse agglutination or agglutination inhibition, and of phagocytic cells as ingestive materials as well as visual markers on cell membranes. The other is the yet unestablished therapeutic use of carriers for antitumor drugs for the delivery of drugs to target cells, and for use in specific hemoadsorption. Latex agglutination tests in clinical use are modeled after the latex fixation test for rheumatoid factor and are principally divided into three categories. These include tests for antibodies using antigen-sensitized particles, tests for antigens using antibody-sensitized particles, and tests for antigens based on inhibition reactions. Latex fixation test can be used not only to detect antibodies but also antigens from numerous microorganisms, normal or pathological plasma proteins, clotting factors, and hormones.
