title: A primer on clinical applications and assays using urine: focus on analysis of plasma cell dyscrasias using automated electrophoresis and immunofixation.
abstract: Urine is a noninvasive sample that is ideal for screening, because it is easy to collect, cost-effective, and can provide a wealth of information on a patient's health status. We provide a brief discussion on the anatomy and physiology of the kidney, a concise overview on B and T cells as key mediators of the immune system, and then delve into the various B-cell neoplasms. This discussion details Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, plasmacytoma, heavy chain disease, amyloidosis, and multiple myeloma. Of primary clinical importance from a technical perspective, two commonly applied techniques for the separation and characterization of urine proteins include urine protein electrophoresis and urine protein immunofixation. Procedural details for both techniques are provided herein.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Brianne
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.forename: Alex J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rai
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods*