Microstructure of immunoprecipitation patterns in gel: The mechanism of spatial self-organization of interacting protein populations in gel-like media

Abstract

The description [1] utilized two models—the model of reaction–diffusion type and cluster aggregation model. Describing this system as a simple bimolecular reaction, the authors demonstrated that the immunoprecipitation structure was determined by spatial concentration of the immune reaction product. The concentrating region in the considered system has a shape of a regular ring. Study of the aggregation of AG and AB molecules using an imitation cluster model has demonstrated that the reaction product in this region is represented by rather large clusters, which allows for a visual recording of immunoprecipitation. At the first glance, the proposed description gives a comprehensive concept of the formation and structure of immunoprecipitation ring at both macroand microlevels. However, confocal microscopy examination of precipitation rings has demonstrated that they display a rather complex microstructure. The goal of this study was to explain the formation of this microstructure.