Immunofluorescence in immunobullous diseases

Abstract

Immunofluorescence has become an essential component of today’s dermatological laboratory. During the last four decades, innovations in this field have revolutionized the concepts about the pathogenesis, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of autoimmune bullous diseases, hereditary bullous diseases, collagen-vascular diseases, many inflammatory dermatoses and cutaneous tumours. However, the facility is not widely available in Pakistan, and the physicians’ knowledge about this diagnostic tool is mostly theoretical. This review envisages the basics of immunofluorescence technique, the interpretation of the results and the newer advancements in the field which a physician is expected to know.