Demonstration of alpha-fetoglobulin in hepatoma tissue by fluorescent antibody technique

The fluorescent antibody technique with specific conjugate of antiserum to alpha-fetoglobulin was applied to five hepatoma tissues, of which three cases showed positive α-f globulin identified by a modified Ouchterlony immunodiffusion technique; two cases were negative. Various histologic patterns of tumor tissue were present both in α-f globulin positive and negative cases. The intensity of the total area of fluorescence in tumor tissue was found to be well correlated with the quantitative aspects of serum α-f globulin, but bore no relationship to the various histologic patterns of tumor. The two negative serum α-f globulin cases also showed small limited areas of faint fluorescence in tumor tissue.