The fluorescent location of abnormal cervical cells employing the principle of differential competitive inhibition.

The screening of cervical smears is concerned with the detection of abnormal epithelial cells which may be indicative of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Several types of cells in cervical smears possess a cell surface protease where isoenzymic forms of this enzyme can be differentially inhibited. Using this phenomenon a simple fluorescent technique has been developed in conjunction with differential competitive inhibition which enables abnormal cervical epithelial cells to bind the fluorescent probe whilst other cells do not bind the probe. The abnormal cells can then be located by fluorescence microscopy and their co-ordinates recorded for subsequent characterisation of these cells by nuclear analysis employing haematoxylin to stain the nuclei.