A simple radial immunodiffusion method for assay of β2-microglobulin in serum

Abstract

In this method for clinical measurement of β2-microglobulin, a 10 g/L agarose gel containing anti-β2-microglobulin is used, with subsequent staining with Coomassie Blue. Although the method is slow (requiring 30 h), it is inexpensive, reliable, and accurate over the range of 1 to 10 mg/L, and is useful in the determination of β2-microglobulin in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. A modified procedure in which staining with silver is used may be sufficiently sensitive for the clinical assay of urine.