Description

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are a group of antibodies produced by a person's immune system when it fails to adequately distinguish between "self" and "non-self." These antibodies, known as autoantibodies, attack the body's own healthy cells and cause signs and symptoms such as tissue and organ inflammation, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue. ANA specifically target substances found in the nucleus of a cell, hence the name "antinuclear." The ANA test identifies the presence of these autoantibodies in the blood. The ANA test is one of the primary tests for helping to diagnose a suspected autoimmune disorder or ruling out other conditions with similar signs and symptoms.