Kappa Free Light Chain

What are light chains.

Kappa free light chain. This can be measured by the free light chain assay test on a blood specimen. 3 3 to 19 4 mg l kappa free light chains. The second most common type is the iga myeloma also in combination with any of the two light chains. Normal test results for free light chains are.

5 71 to 26 3 mg l lambda free light chains. This means type g immunoglobulin one of the possible types of heavy chain one combination of types of light chain kappa or lambda. Free light chains will normally be present in the blood at low levels with a kappa lambda ratio of approximately 0 26 to 1 65 for individuals with normal kidney function. If the amount of free light chains is higher or lower than normal it can mean you have a disorder of the plasma cells.

Therefore the serum free light chain test is a better predictor of outcome than the amount of m protein in the blood. There are two types of light chains. The detection of urinary monoclonal kappa or lambda free light chains of immunoglobulin also know as bence jones proteins bjp are important for. The exact normal ratio of kappa to lambda according to a.

0 26 to 1 65 ratio of kappa lambda. Polymeric forms of both types of free light chain can also occur. Once set light chain class remains fixed for the life of the b lymphocyte. The test measures the levels of specific types of free light chains known as kappa and lambda and also the ratio between the two.

Increased kappa free light chains and an increased kappa lambda ratio may be seen with plasma cell disorders that produce excess monoclonal kappa light chains. In general the higher the free light chains the more aggressive the disease is. Under normal circumstances concentrations of both kappa and lambda light chains are very low in the bloodstream. Free light chains exist freely in the bloodstream until they deposit in the organs as amyloid fibrils which then cause organ damage.

In patients with light chain myeloma either of light chain kappa or lambda is dominantly produced and resulting in marked changes of the flc κ λ ratio in the early phase of the disease. Igm ige and igd types have one much lower incidence. Kappa k chains lambda l or λ chains. There are two different types of light chain.

In a healthy individual the total kappa to lambda ratio is roughly 2 1 in serum measuring intact whole antibodies or 1 1 5 if measuring free light chains with a highly divergent ratio indicative of neoplasm. In normal individuals free light chains are rapidly cleared from the blood and catabolised by the kidneys. Kappa free light chains are normally monomeric while lambda free light chains tend to be dimeric joined by disulphide bonds.