title: Free fragments of gamma chain in the urine. A possible source of confusion with gamma heavy-chain disease.
abstract: With currently used microconcentrators, high-resolution electrophoresis, and immunofixation electrophoresis, relatively homogeneous free fragments of gamma chain (FFGC) unaccompanied by light chains, which cannot be found in the serum, may be discovered in the alpha-2 region during routine examination of the urine. The urinary alpha-migrating FFGC is of no apparent clinical significance and should not be confused with the antigenically related FFGCs of gamma heavy-chain disease. In gamma heavy-chain disease, the FFGCs are often demonstrable in the urine, but are always present in the serum and migrate in the beta-gamma region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: E Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Valdes
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006362:Heavy Chain Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000652:urine*; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains / Q000652:urine*; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains