摘要 |
<p>A method of detecting tumour cells in a cell sample from a human or animal comprises treating the sample with a first competitive inhibitor which binds to isoenzymic forms of guanidinobenzoatase on the surfaces of tumour cells and other cells having distinct isoenzymic forms of guanidinobenzoatase. Subsequently the first inhibitor is selectively displacing from either the tumour cells or said other cells by a second competitive inhibitor which is distinguishable from the first inhibitor whereby the presence of tumour cells in the sample may be detected. For preference, it is the first inhibitor which is displaced from the tumour cells and the second inhibitor is fluorescent. Non-tumour cells do not fluoresce and the tumour cells are easily distingued by their fluorescence.</p> |