title: Reference values for immunoglobulin kappa and lambda light chains and the kappa/lambda ratio in children's serum.
abstract: We analyzed 708 serum samples from healthy children and adolescents by immunonephelometry to obtain reference values for the immunoglobulin kappa (kappa) and lambda (lambda) light chains and for their ratio at a time of life when immunoglobulin synthesis is maturing and continually being stimulated. The lambda chain concentration that is to be maintained throughout the child's life is reached very early, just after 1 year, whereas the concentration of the kappa chains, which increases gradually, reflects the concentration of the immunoglobulins as a whole. These reference values may be useful for studying kappa and lambda chains in illnesses involving the immune system in children.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Microbiology, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iavarone
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cappello
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bergami
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Fiorucci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aguzzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000097:blood*; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains