CRP (C-Reactive Protein) Assay Kit

Summary:
C-reactive protein is the classic acute phase protein to inflammatory reactions. It is synthesized by the liver and consists of five identical polypeptide chains forming a five-membered ring of molar mass 120 000 daltons. CRP is the most sensitive of the acute phase reactants, and its concentration increases rapidly during inflammatory processes. Complexed CRP activates the complement system beginning with C1q. CRP then initiates opsonization and phagocytosis of invading cells, but its main function is to bind and detoxify endogenous toxic substances produced as a result of tissue damage.
CRP assays are used to detect systematic inflammatory processes (apart from certain types of inflammation such as SLE and colitis ulcerosa); to assess treatment of bacterial infections with antibiotics; to detect intrauterine infections with concomi- tant premature amniorrhexis; to differentiate between active and inactive forms of disease with concurrent infection, e.g. in patients suffering from SLE or Colitis ulcerosa; to therapeutically monitor rheumatic diseases and assess anti-inflam- matory therapy; to determine the presence of postoperative complications at an early stage, such as infected wounds, thrombosis and pneumonia; and to distin- guish between infection and bone marrow transplant rejection. A variety of methods, such as nephelometry and turbidimetry are available for the determination of CRP. This CRP assay is based on the principle of immunological agglutination.