ANGELES UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

Angeles City
COLLEGE OF ALLIED MEDICAL PROFESSIONS

Immunology and Serology LABORATORY

POST-LAB CONFERENCE

C-reactive
protein
Submitted by:
Group 9
BS MT 3-C
Group Leader: David, Kyla Denise
Members: De Jesus, Kim Paula
Leongson, Shirlene Anne
Malaban, Kelvin
Submitted to:
Maam Genevieve Dizon
Maam Anna Kamille Suyat
MTE11 Laboratory Professors

January 16, 2017

I.

INTRODUCTION

C-reactive protein is a homogeneous molecule with a molecular weight of 118,000

Daltons and a structure that consists of five identical subunits held together by
noncovalent bonds. CRP acts somewhat like an antibody, as it is capable of
opsonization (the coating of foreign particles), agglutination, precipitation, and activation
of complement by the classical pathway.
CRP has been used clinically for monitoring infection, autoimmune disorders and, more
recently, healing after a myocardial infarction (MI). Levels of CRP parallel the course of
the inflammatory response and return to lower undetectable levels as the inflammation
subsides.
CRP demonstrates a large incremental change, with as much as a 100-fold increase in
concentration in acute inflammation, and is the fastest responding and most sensitive
indicator of acute inflammation. CRP increases faster than ESR in responding to
inflammation, whereas the leukocyte count may remain within normal limits despite
infection. An elevated CRP level can signal infection many hours before it can be
confirmed by culture results; therefore, treatment can be prompt. Because of these
characteristics, CRP is the method of choice for screening for inflammatory and
malignant organic diseases and monitoring therapy in inflammatory diseases.
II.

METHODS

Materials and Reagents

CRP latex reagent

Patient serum
Pipettes
CRP test slides
Stirrer (applicator stick)
Test tubes

Procedures
Slide Method (Qualitative)
1. Prewarm the sample and reagents to room temperature.
2. Place one drop of serum on the glass slide.

3. Resuspend the CRP latex reagent then place one drop of it on the glass slide.
4. Using a stirrer, mix the specimen on the glass slide until the entire circle is filled.
5. Place the glass slide on a mechanical rotator for two minutes. Manually tilt the slide
back and forth if a rotator is not available.
6. Observe for agglutination within two minutes. If there is no agglutination that formed
within that time, report as non-reactive.

Glass slide

CRP Reagent

Mechanical Rotator

Rotator with glass slides

RESULTS

AGGLUTINATION REACTIVE
NO AGGLUTINATION NONREACTIVE
III.

QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

1. Restate the principle of the test in your own words.

This test is based on latex agglutination. When latex particles complexed with human
anti-CRP are mixed with the patients serum containing CRPs, a visible agglutination
reaction will occur.
2. Indicate conditions associated with elevation of CRP.

Significant inflammation (sepsis, fungal infections, etc.)

Chronic inflammatory condition (inflammatory bowel disease)
Autoimmune disease (lupus, vasculitis)

3. Give indications of a positive and negative result in CRP testing.

AGGLUTINATION positive result

NO AGGLUTINATION negative result

4. Compare ESR, CRP, and hs-CRP using at least 3 criteria.

PARAMETER

ESR
Inflammation

CRP
Inflammation

S MEASURED

hs-CRP
Measures the risk
of cardiovascular
disease in healthy

SPECIMEN
INDICATIONS

CAUSE

Whole blood
An inflammatory focus

Serum
Active inflammation

people
Serum
Whether a person

has been present in the

somewhere in the

is at risk of CV

body for several days

Increased fibrinogen

body
Dead and dying

disease
(See CRP)

levels which causes red

cells which release

blood cells to clump

chemicals that
prompt the liver to
produce CRP

REFERENCES:
Stevens, Clinical Immunology and Serology: A Laboratory Perspective (Third Edition)
Turgeon, Immunology and Serology in Laboratory Medicine (Fifth Edition)