Anti-mitochondrial antibody

Among anti-mitochondrial antibodies ( AMA) is understood in the serum of a patient detectable autoantibodies to mitochondria. The proof is carried out in the laboratory initially mostly by indirect immunofluorescence as a diagnostic test. This organ sections are of the rat used ( eg, liver, stomach, kidney) in the rule. As confirmation tests are immunoblots or ELISAs that use certain subtypes of AMA as specific antigens. From high diagnostic relevance is particularly the M2 subtype.

The result of a study on AMA is often expressed in the form of a titer. This denier are generally considered to 1:10 normal.

One finds from the AMA M2 subtype predominantly in primary biliary cirrhosis (specificity 95 %). Furthermore AMA are occasionally detected in autoimmune hepatitis, systemic sclerosis, polymyositis and CREST syndrome, rarely also with antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus erythematosus.

The investigation on AMA is useful when specific cases of suspected primary biliary cirrhosis or an unclear liver disease in which autoimmune disease is a possible cause.

• Immunology
• Medical laboratory investigation procedure
• The diagnostic method in Rheumatology