The Albumin Autoagglutination Phenomenon

Auto-agglutination in albumin

“…We only used bovine albumin, and found that agglutination occurred with 15 % bovine albumin but not with 10% solution. Crowley and Hyland (1962) found 1 % commercial bovine or human albumin sufficient to elicit the phenomenon with all of their three reported sera.…”

“…(Weiner et al, 1956); equally strong at 4°C., 20°C., and 37°C. (Moore et al, 1959); and three sera with differing optima (Crowley and Hyland, 1962). No difference between 4°C., 22°C., and 37°C.…”

“…But there is, at least, a reasonable presumption that the abnormal serum constituent could have been associated with neoplastic involvement of the liver. Crowley and Hyland (1962) postulate that the substance must be of small molecular size in that it can be transferred across the placenta. However, in our case it was clearly of larger size than could pass across the AutoAnalyzer dialysing membrane.…”

“…In spite of the fact that innumerable blood grouping and cross matching tests have been carried out using albumin as a suspending medium, only a few instances have been recorded of an auto-agglutinin active only in albumin (Weiner, Tovey, Gillespie, Lewis, and Holliday, 1956;Weiner and Hallum, 1957; Moore, Linins, and McIntyre, 1959; Griffitts, 1962; Crowley and Hyland, 1962).…”

“…The nature of this abnormal serum constituent is not known. Crowley and Hyland (1962) adduced evidence suggesting that it is of a protein nature but the sera hitherto described have had varying physical properties. We report a further case because of its rarity, its clinical association, and its diagnostic importance, and provide further evidence as to its possible nature.…”