3600 – Anti-Intrinsic Factor

The Anti-Intrinsic Factor is a quantitative immunoassay for the determination of IgG antibodies against intrinsic factor in human serum. The Anti-Intrinsic Factor is intended as an aid in the diagnosis of pernicious anemia and autoimmune gastritis in conjunction with other clinical and laboratory findings.

The essential role played by intrinsic factor (IF), a glycoprotein containing sialic acid, in the absorption of vitamin B12 (extrinsic factor) in the digestive tract, makes it an important serological marker in the diagnosis of diseases associated with deficiency in vitamin B12, e.g. that may lead to the development of Biermer’s anemia. Autoantibodies to IF are of two types based on their binding sites, viz., type 1, which interact with the binding site for vitamin B12 and, thus, influencing the binding of vitamin B12 to the IF in the stomach; type 2, which blocks the binding of both IF and vitamin B12-IF complexes to the specific receptor in the ileum. GA Generic Assays Anti-intrinsic factor Elisa determines both types of autoantibodies to IF without any influence by high concentrations of vitamin B12 in the sample.

The ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) is an immunoassay for the determination of specific antibodies. The strips of the microtiter plate are coated with test-specific antigens. If antibodies are present in the patient´s sample, they bind to the antigens. A secondary antibody conjugated with the enzyme peroxidase detects the generated immune complex. A colorless substrate is converted into the colored product. The signal intensity of the reaction product is proportional to the antibody activity in the sample. After stopping the signal intensity of the reaction product is measured photometrically.

The immunoassay is designed for manual professional in vitro diagnostic use.