METHOD TO DETECT BONE AND OTHER CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISORDERS IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS

摘要

The invention is directed to antibodies which are specifically immunoreactive with forms of crosslinks which occur free in biological fluids. Methods to assess connective tissue, especially bone, metabolism in disease or to monitor therapy are also disclosed. Such methods comprise assessing the levels of native free collagen-derived crosslinks in biological fluids, especially urine. The method can be enhanced by concomitantly determining the levels of an indicator of bone formation in biological fluids of the same individual and assessing the differences between the degradation marker and the formation indicator.