8 Protein detection and imaging in IEF gels

Abstract

The chapter discusses protein detection and imaging in isoelectric focusing (IEF) gels. Because of its relative simplicity in implementation, carrier ampholyte-mediated IEF remains a popular separation approach, being commonly employed in basic research, clinical chemistry, agriculture science, food industry , and forensics. Immobilized pH gradient (IPG) gel electrophoresis has become particularly important as the first dimension component of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), although carrier ampholyte-mediated IEF still has its proponents. Two categories of silver staining have found widespread utility for the detection of proteins in polyacrylamide gels, the alkaline silver diamine, and the acidic silver nitrate methods. Two categories of silver staining have found widespread utility for the detection of proteins in polyacrylamide gels, the alkaline silver diamine, and the acidic silver nitrate methods. The categories of fluorescent detection methods have gained prominence in the field of proteomics in recent years. The introduction of fluorescent dye technology in particular has played an important role in the development of advanced imaging instrumentation.