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>I would like to be able to stain for light chains in the cytoplasm and at
>the same time use another plasma/myeloma cell marker to distinguish
>specific from non-specicfic light chain staining. The problem is compounded
>by the difficulty in using scattergating for the identification och myeloma
>cells.
We have been using cytoplasmic light chain labeling for some time to identify
plasma cells and to infer clonality by virtue of a predominant light chain class.
We are most confident of our identification of plasma cells when we use a slide
rather than a flow cytometer - we counterstain with PI and can easily identify
plasma cells by their VERY bright cytoplasmic labeling.
We have done the same using flow, labeling with CD38 to identify plasma
cells. If we gate on CD38 VERY BRIGHT events we can establish the
predominant light chain type of the plasma cells. We have used the
comercially available "Fix and Perm" reagents. The only problem is that one
cannot be absolutley certain that all malignant plasma cells have VERY
BRIGHT CD38.
I would be very interested iin the thoughts of others on this subject - it is not an
easy problem.
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Kenneth A. Ault M.D.
Maine Medical Center Research Institute
125 John Roberts Road
South Portland ME 04106
Voice (207) 761-9090
Fax (207) 761-2130
E-Mail aultk.mmcri@office.mmc.org
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