What is the function of saline suspension used in antibody screening?

The function of saline suspension in antibody screening is primarily to dilute red blood cells, which facilitates the detection of antibodies present in the serum or plasma. When performing antibody screening, it's essential to have a suspension of red blood cells at a concentration that allows for optimal interaction between any antibodies present in the patient’s serum and the antigens on the red blood cells. By diluting the red blood cells in saline, the reaction becomes more pronounced, making it easier to identify the presence of antibodies.

This dilution helps create an environment where each antibody can effectively bind to its corresponding antigen without excessive crowding, ensuring accurate results during the testing process. The saline suspension also serves to maintain the stability of the red blood cells and similar physiological conditions, which is crucial for achieving reliable and repeatable results in antibody detection.

In summary, saline suspension is vital in the serological testing process for antibody screening, primarily by diluting red blood cells to enhance the visibility of antibody-antigen reactions.