Anti-endomysium antibodies detection in the celiac disease screening: Indirect immunofluorescence pattern using umbilical cord sections as substrate.

Celiac disease screening test with anti-endomysial antibodies detection is limited by the use of endangered species tissue (monkey distal oesophagus) as well as by the high costs of commercial kits. Due to such limitations new tests are developed to avoid the use of monkey tissue: an IFA test utilising umbilical cord sections (a discarded tissue) and an ELISA test detecting anti-transglutaminase antibodies. In most cases umbilical cord anti-endomysium test, is not routinely used due to the different pattern of EmA IFA test with monkey oesophagus: in the present article we show some pattern obtained with this new method in order to clarify possible reading misinterpretation.