DIAGNOSTIC TEST PANEL 566
CNS Tissue Damage Biomarker
Diagnostic test panel for Tau, NfL, and GFAp. CNS tissue damage biomarkers.
Indication
Suspicion of CNS tissue damage
Sample material
CSF
- Minim. volume: 1,5 mL (0,5 mL x 3 tubes)
Serum
- Minim. volume: 1,0 mL (0,5 mL x 2 tubes)
Transport
Within Sweden
- frozen
International
- frozen
Clinical background
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) is a protein primarily found in astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) and is essential for cellular stability and function. GFAP expression increases during astrocyte activation and is released into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) following tissue damage. GFAP can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into the bloodstream, and the levels in blood can be used to monitor CNS injury.
Blood GFAP serves as a nonspecific marker reflecting the extent and severity of CNS damage. Serum GFAP levels have been shown to be valuable in cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and certain neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory conditions.
Neurofilament Light Protein (NfL) is a subunit of neurofilaments, which are part of the neuronal cytoskeleton in both the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS). After axonal damage of the CNS, NfL leaks into the CSF, and elevated levels can be detected in serum/plasma. In CNS injuries, blood NfL levels are significantly lower than in CSF, but the correlation is high.
Serum/plasma NfL levels can reflect the degree of neuronal degeneration in both CNS and PNS injuries. Elevated NfL levels are a nonspecific marker of neuronal degradation and do not indicate the underlying cause. Since NfL levels in serum/plasma vary significantly among individuals in the general population, reference ranges are broad.
When the cause of CNS injury is unclear, NfL should ideally be analyzed alongside other brain injury markers in CSF, including GFAP (astrocyte injury marker), S-100 (acute brain injury marker), Beta-amyloid (dementia marker), and Tau (cortical injury marker).
Tau is predominantly found in cortical, unmyelinated axons, where it binds to microtubules with a stabilizing effect. Tau can be phosphorylated to varying degrees (phospho-Tau). Total Tau reflects axonal degradation and is used as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease, although elevated levels can also be seen in other degenerative CNS diseases and stroke. The highest levels are observed in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is characterized by rapidly progressing cortical degeneration.
Tests included in panel
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How to order
This test panel is available worldwide for hospitals, clinics, and physicians.
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Print and complete the request form
Download the request form. Clearly state the name and phone number of the referring hospital, clinic, or physician. -
Prepare your samples
Serum: At least 3 tubes x 0.5 mL serum (plain serum tubes without additives).
CSF: At least 3 tubes x 0.5 mL CSF (polypropylene tubes).
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Send samples and request form
Within Sweden
Send samples frozen to:
Envelopes and smaller boxes:
Wieslab AB, Box 50117, 20211 Malmö, Sweden
Larger boxes and frozen samples:
Wieslab AB, Lundavägen 151, 21224 Malmö, Sweden
International
Send samples frozen to:
Wieslab AB, Lundavägen 151, 21224 Malmö, Sweden
Last updated: 2025-08-18
