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Scanning electron microscopy of immunogold labeled cat allergens (Fel d 1) on the surface of airborne house dust particles

1995; Elsevier BV; Volume: 187; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0022-1759(95)00190-6

1872-7905

Heidi Ormstad, Ellen Namork, Per Ivar Gaarder, B.V. Johansen,

Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure

This study investigated the ability of an immunogold labeling technique to demonstrate the presence of Fel d 1 (domestic cat) allergens on the surface of particles in samples of airborne house dust. Suspended particulate matter was sampled from ten Norwegian households, five with and five without a domestic cat. The specimens were immunogold labeled and examined in the backscatter electron imaging mode of the scanning electron microscope and in the transmission electron microscope. X-ray microanalysis was also applied to execute element analysis of the suspended particular matter. The gold probe was mainly detected on carbon particles in the suspended particulate matter, both on small (< 1 microns) and larger carbon aggregates (1-10 microns). The present method may be useful in studying the localisation of different allergens on airborne house dust particles of various sizes and composition.