The use of the antiglobulin ‘gel‐test’ for antibody detection

SUMMARY. Four antibodies used routinely in‐house for the assessment of antiglobulin reagents (anti‐Fy b , anti‐Jk a , anti‐S) were tested in parallel using tube and antiglobulin ‘gel‐test’ low ionic strength antiglobulin techniques. In the latter the red cells are centrifuged following incubation through a dextran matrix incorporating an anti‐human globulin reagent. The results show that the antiglobulin ‘gel‐test’ was less sensitive than the tube technique in the detection of these difficult antibodies.