Diagnosis of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis a simplified method for the detection of liver membrane autoantibodies (LMA).

A simplified method for the detection of liver membrane autoantibodies (LMA) in patient's serum is presented. Hepatocytes are isolated from the liver of young rabbits. A calcium-free solution without enzymes is injected into the portal vein with a normal syringe. The liver is then cut into small pieces in a solution with calcium, shaken in a water bath, filtered and washed in Eagle's medium. The isolated hepatocytes are incubated first in patient's serum and secondly in FITC labeled antihuman IgG. The test requires three hours and allow the detection of LMA, antinuclear and antimitochondrial antibodies simultaneously. The detection of LMA is valuable in the diagnosis of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis.