Free Lambda Light Chain Monoclonal Protein

You also do this procedure using urine because sometimes myeloma cells will only make light chains which end up being peed out in the urine so if you only did a spep you would miss.

Free lambda light chain monoclonal protein.

It can also detect changes in the ratio of kappa and lambda light chain production which indicates an excess of abnormal plasma cells. Ife characterizes the type of monoclonal protein gamma alpha mu delta or epsilon heavy chain. Igd myeloma is rare representing 1 of all myeloma cases. The sflc assay can detect abnormal levels of free light chains which may be an indication of a plasma cell disorder.

The first thing that s usually done in the lab is serum protein electophoresis spep. Light chains are proteins produced by immune cells called plasma cells. Antibodies are made up of two parts. One variable domain v l that is important for binding antigen.

If the amount of free light chains is higher or lower than normal it can mean you have a disorder of the plasma cells. This can be measured by the free light chain assay test on a blood specimen. One constant c l domain. The approximate length of a light chain protein is from 211 to 217 amino acids.

The constant region determines what class kappa or lambda the light chain is. Each light chain is composed of two tandem immunoglobulin domains. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance mgus is a condition in which an abnormal protein known as monoclonal protein or m protein is in your blood. High levels of igm suggest you may have waldenstrom s macroglobulinemia.

Heavy chains and light chains. Also called kappa and lambda light chains they link together with other proteins heavy chains to form immunoglobulins also known as antibodies that target and neutralize specific threats to the body such as bacteria and viruses. When myeloma progresses the myeloma cells start to produce more light chains than heavy chains. Serum free light chain testing provides complementary information to the two protein electrophoresis tests.

There are two types of light chains. In our series igg lambda was the most common monoclonal protein accompanied by excess free light chains. A free light chains test measures the amount of lambda and kappa free light chains in the blood. This abnormal protein is formed within your bone marrow the soft blood producing tissue that fills in the center of most of your bones.

The most common biclonal gammopathy was igg kappa igg lambda followed by igg kappa igm lambda. The most common type of m protein in myeloma is igg. Biclonal gammopathies have the same clinical findings as monoclonal gammopathies. Lambda and kappa light chains.

Kappa k or lambda l light chain. Ife is also more sensitive than pel for detecting small abnormalities that may be present in diseases such as light chain multiple myeloma oligosecretory myeloma and plasmacytomas.