Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (573 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Technique involving the diffusion of antigen or antibody through a semisolid medium, usually agar or agarose gel, with the result being a precipitin reaction.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Immunodiffusions; Gel Diffusion Tests; Diffusion Test, Gel; Diffusion Tests, Gel; Gel Diffusion Test; Test, Gel Diffusion; Tests, Gel Diffusion.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Precipitin Tests
- Narrower topics
- Immunoelectrophoresis
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 46,274 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Immunodiffusion” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 142 of them (0.3%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 44,904 records.
Reviews account for 918 records (2.0%) and meta-analyses for 3. Randomized controlled trials number 37 (0.1%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 44,904 |
| 2000-2009 | 849 |
| 2010-2019 | 379 |
| 2020 onward | 142 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 918 | 2.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 3 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 37 | 0.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Immunodiffusion"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in diagnostics and medical technology
A test or device is judged by how well it detects a condition, how often it gives false alarms or misses cases, and whether using it improves outcomes for people. Accuracy depends on who is tested and how common the condition is, so a test that performs well in a specialist hospital can perform differently in the community. Check the reference standard, the population studied, the sensitivity and specificity and whether results were confirmed in a separate group.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dose response of black American mink to Aleutian mink disease virus | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 11 | cc by PMID 32167659 · DOI · PMC7212202 |
| Evaluation of commercial immunodiffusion reagents for detecting serum anti-Paracoccidioides antibodies | 2024 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 38808801 · DOI · PMC11136505 |
| Automated detection of free monoclonal light chains by enhanced-sensitivity modified immunofixation electrophoresis with antisera against free light chains | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 40414711 · DOI · PMC12417074 |
Dose response of black American mink to Aleutian mink disease virus [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- IntroductionAleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) causes a serious health problem for mink globally.
- Closing excerpt
- Using antibody titer in naturally infected mink may not be accurate for the identification of tolerant mink.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (278 words)
IntroductionAleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) causes a serious health problem for mink globally. The disease has no cure nor an effective vaccine and selection for tolerance using antibody titer is adopted by many mink farmers. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of various doses of a local AMDV isolate on the response of black American mink to infection with AMDV.MethodsEight black American mink were each inoculated intranasally with 0.5 mL of eight serial 10-fold dilutions (100 to 10-7 ) of a 10% spleen homogenate containing a local AMDV isolate. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 20, 35, 56, 84, 140, and 196 postinoculation (dpi). Anti-AMDV antibodies and viral DNA were tested by counter-immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) and PCR, respectively. Animals that were PCR or CIEP positive at 196 dpi (n = 41) were killed at 218 dpi, and samples of blood and seven organs were tested by CIEP and PCR.ResultsAntibody production persisted in all seroconverted mink until the termination of the experiment, whereas 71.1% of the mink showed short-lived viremia. Significant associations were observed between inoculum dose and the incidence of viremia until 84 dpi which disappeared thereafter, whereas associations between inoculum dose and the incidence of seropositive mink were significant on all sampling occasions. Antibody titer at 218 dpi significantly decreased with decreasing inoculum dose. AMDV DNA was detected in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen samples of almost all mink inoculated at every dose but was not detected in other organs of some mink.ConclusionsCIEP is more accurate than PCR for detecting AMDV infection in mink. Using antibody titer in naturally infected mink may not be accurate for the identification of tolerant mink.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32167659 · DOI · PMC7212202
Evaluation of commercial immunodiffusion reagents for detecting serum anti-Paracoccidioides antibodies [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundAccurate diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
- Closing excerpt
- ConclusionsOur findings suggest that DID using commercial reagents may provide a feasible tool with satisfactory testing performance for anti-Paracoccidioides antibody detection.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (97 words)
BackgroundAccurate diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Paracoccidioides antibody detection by double immunodiffusion (DID) is a convenient diagnostic tool, but testing performance can vary based on certain factors.MethodsWe assessed DID performance using a commercially prepared Paracoccidioides reagents (IMMY, USA), involving 40 serum specimens, including 20 from patients with proven paracoccidioidomycosis and 20 from patients without the disease. The DID test demonstrated a sensitivity of 90% (95% CI=68%-99%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI=83%-100%).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that DID using commercial reagents may provide a feasible tool with satisfactory testing performance for anti-Paracoccidioides antibody detection.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 38808801 · DOI · PMC11136505
Automated detection of free monoclonal light chains by enhanced-sensitivity modified immunofixation electrophoresis with antisera against free light chains [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- IntroductionAbout one-third of multiple myelomas produce excess free monoclonal light chains.
- Closing excerpt
- DiscussionThe automated protocol employing the SPIFE Nexus instrument and incorporating antisera to free light chains is suitable for routine use in clinical laboratories in an automated, enhanced-sensitivity assay for monoclonal light chains with no need for manual manipulation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (198 words)
IntroductionAbout one-third of multiple myelomas produce excess free monoclonal light chains. Detection of monoclonal light chains is important for diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of such lesions. A previously described method for detection of monoclonal light chains in serum required multiple manual wash steps. Even though the method has sensitivity similar to that of mass spectrometry, the manual wash steps were a hindrance to the method's widespread use.MethodsTo mitigate the laborious nature of the previous method, the SPIFE Nexus instrument (Helena Laboratories) was modified to automate the sample application, electrophoretic separation, antibody application, washing and blotting steps needed for removal of background proteins. Background noise was mitigated by modifying the wash buffer by adding a detergent. This revised automated electrophoresis protocol was tested in parallel with the previously described method.ResultsThe sensitivity and specificity of the modified method using antisera to free light chains from 2 sources was comparable to the parameters of the previously described method without the need for manual manipulation.DiscussionThe automated protocol employing the SPIFE Nexus instrument and incorporating antisera to free light chains is suitable for routine use in clinical laboratories in an automated, enhanced-sensitivity assay for monoclonal light chains with no need for manual manipulation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40414711 · DOI · PMC12417074
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods as a tool for the analysis and isolation of allergens [4]
- Research article Antibacterial properties of dental restorative materials: a review [5]
- Research article Immunochemical investigation of membrane proteins. A methodological survey with emphasis placed on immunoprecipitation in gels [6]
- Research article Sequence of testing for monoclonal gammopathies [7]
- Research article Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods: a literature survey [8]
- Research article THE BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA-MUCOSAL DISEASE COMPLEX [9]
References
- Farid AH, Hussain I. Dose response of black American mink to Aleutian mink disease virus. . 2020. PMID 32167659 · DOI · PMC7212202
- Cognialli RCR, Caceres DH, Telles FQ. Evaluation of commercial immunodiffusion reagents for detecting serum anti-Paracoccidioides antibodies. . 2024. PMID 38808801 · DOI · PMC11136505
- Singh G, Saldaña EJ, Spencer J, Bollag RJ. Automated detection of free monoclonal light chains by enhanced-sensitivity modified immunofixation electrophoresis with antisera against free light chains. . 2025. PMID 40414711 · DOI · PMC12417074
- Løwenstein H. Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods as a tool for the analysis and isolation of allergens. Prog Allergy. 1978. PMID 362426 · DOI
- Tobias RS. Antibacterial properties of dental restorative materials: a review. Int Endod J. 1988. PMID 3151895 · DOI
- Bjerrum OJ. Immunochemical investigation of membrane proteins. A methodological survey with emphasis placed on immunoprecipitation in gels. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1977. PMID 70223 · DOI
- Kyle RA. Sequence of testing for monoclonal gammopathies. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1999. PMID 10050783 · DOI
- Verbruggen. Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods: a literature survey. Clin Chem. 1975. PMID 234815 · DOI
- PRITCHARD WR. THE BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA-MUCOSAL DISEASE COMPLEX. Adv Vet Sci. 1963. PMID 14274098
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.