title: Ammonium improves elution of fixed dried blood spots without affecting immunofluorescence assay quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To solve the problem of fixed dried blood spot elution without damaging IgG antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The minimum effective concentration of liquid ammonium (NH3 ) in a PBS solution, which was found to elute fixed blood, was determined. By using a dilution series, the effects of NH3 on IgG antibody quality were assessed using immunofluorescence assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The minimum effective concentration of 0.2% NH3 has no detectable effects on IgG quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ammonium greatly improves blood elution from fixed DBS while maintaining IgG antibody quality. These results are encouraging and provide a basis for further testing of the efficacy of ammonium in different situations as well as its effect on other compounds.
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Benny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borremans
mesh_terms: D064751:Ammonium Compounds; D059788:Dried Blood Spot Testing / Q000379:methods*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D064751:Ammonium Compounds
keywords: Whatman; capillaries; filter paper; heat-fixed; immuno-fluorescence assays; serology