Oligoclonal bands in CSF are detected by which laboratory technique?

Oligoclonal bands in CSF are detected by which laboratory technique?

• A. Electrophoresis
• B. Capillary Electrophoresis
• C. Mass Spectrometry
• D. Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Answer: (A)

Detecting oligoclonal bands in CSF relies on separating the immunoglobulins so that individual clones appear as distinct bands. Electrophoresis does this by moving proteins through a medium under an electric field, separating them by charge and size. When you compare CSF to serum, bands that show up in the CSF but not in the serum indicate intrathecal (within-the-spinal-fluid) IgG synthesis, which is a hallmark seen in conditions like multiple sclerosis. Isoelectric focusing, a highly sensitive form of electrophoresis, sharpens these bands and makes the pattern easier to interpret. Mass spectrometry or chromatography-based methods don’t produce the same banding pattern used to identify oligoclonal bands, which is why electrophoresis is the correct technique.

Detecting oligoclonal bands in CSF relies on separating the immunoglobulins so that individual clones appear as distinct bands. Electrophoresis does this by moving proteins through a medium under an electric field, separating them by charge and size. When you compare CSF to serum, bands that show up in the CSF but not in the serum indicate intrathecal (within-the-spinal-fluid) IgG synthesis, which is a hallmark seen in conditions like multiple sclerosis. Isoelectric focusing, a highly sensitive form of electrophoresis, sharpens these bands and makes the pattern easier to interpret. Mass spectrometry or chromatography-based methods don’t produce the same banding pattern used to identify oligoclonal bands, which is why electrophoresis is the correct technique.