Specimen need not be refrigerated or frozen. Collect 5-10 ml of blood in a red top or serum separator tube. If possible, separate serum from clot and place into orange tube provided with IMMCO collection kits. Do not puncture top of orange tube. If separation facilities are not available, the blood can be sent in the tube used for collection.

Sample is stable at ambient temperature during shipment. If sample is stored prior to shipment, it is stable refrigerated (2-8°C) up to five days and frozen (-20°C or lower) up to one year.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune mediated immunobullous skin disorder found mainly in the elderly population and is characterized by frequent occurring of tense blisters and erythema. Antibodies are directed to the basement membrane zone and are found in the serum of patients as linear IgG or C3 sediments. Target antigens of the autoantibodies in BP patient serum are BP230 and BP180, also called BPAG1 and BPAG2. Molecular weight of these antigens is 230 kD and 180 kD respectively. Anti-BP180 is thought to be the pathogenic autoantibody, however, not all BP patients have anti- BP180antibody in their serum. Anti-BP230 antibody is considered to be a useful serologic marker of the disease and co-relates well with the disease activity.