Photonic technology a

摘要

Abstract: Erythrocytes can be agglutinated by the antigen-antibody reaction, with variable strength depending on the intercellular adhesive energy of antibodies (affinity) and on the antigenic density on the cell surface. A new technology based on light backscattered by a thick layer of a concentrated suspension of erythrocytes under shear stresses to estimate the intercellular adhesive energy has been developed. This adhesive energy is estimated by recording kinetically the laser back scattered intensity during the time the agglutinates become dissociated by shear in a Couette system. The Regulest Erithroaggregameter measures the changes in back scattered light when the suspension of agglutinated erythrocytes is brought to a high shear rate of 600 s$+$MIN@1$/. The increase in optical signal reflects the gradual dissociation of agglutinates. Three dynamic parameters are derived from the obtained curves by a simple numerical process. A parameter of energy is defined by the area subtended between the curve from the agglutinated sample and that one from the non agglutinated sample. The method provides information on the agglutination strength and on the antibody affinity. This technique was successfully applied to the quality control of monoclonal antibodies and to help in the diagnosis of hemolytic anemias caused by cold agglutinins.!23