Haemoglobin F (HbF) - flow cytometry
Last updated: Wednesday, 28, April, 2004
| Item | Process |
|---|---|
| Specimen | 5 mL blood in EDTA tube. |
| Method | Cytoplasmic staining for HbF with anti-HbF monoclonal antibody. Fetal erythrocytes stain positively. Normal adult erythrocytes do not. |
| Application | Detection and quantitation of feto-maternal haemorrhage. Studies in th thalassaemias. |
| Interpretation | Normal adult cells are negative, adult fetal cells are weak positive (HbF~10% in each cell) and true fetal cells are bright positive (100% HbF). The proportion of fetal cells is calculated as a percentage of all red cells. The flow cytometric method provides a more accurate and objective quantitation of fetal cells in the maternal circulation. |
| Reference | Olsen SH et al. Lab Haematol 1996; 1:7. |