What does Low ionic strength saline (LISS) reduce in order to act as a potentiator?

Prepare for the AAB Medical Technologist (MT) Generalist Exam with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations to boost your understanding. Get exam-ready now!

Low ionic strength saline (LISS) functions as a potentiator by reducing the zeta potential of red blood cells. The zeta potential refers to the electrical charge present at the surface of red blood cells, which affects how closely they can approach each other, as like charges repel. When the zeta potential is reduced, the repulsive forces between the red blood cells decrease. This leads to increased proximity, allowing for enhanced interaction between antibodies and their respective antigens.

By facilitating these interactions, LISS increases the likelihood of agglutination reactions, which are crucial for various laboratory tests, particularly in blood typing and crossmatching. This makes LISS an important reagent in immunohematology to assist in the detection and identification of antibodies that may not bind strongly at normal ionic strengths.

In contrast, changes in antigen expression on red blood cells, the affinity of antibodies, or electrolyte concentration are not direct functions of LISS. The primary role of LISS is centered on modifying the ionic environment to encourage binding, rather than affecting the fundamental properties of the antibodies or antigens directly.

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