Zone Electrophoresis in Starch Gels and its Application to Studies of Serum Proteins

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that the starch-gel electrophoretic method can be applied to the investigation of many complex protein mixtures in addition to serum proteins, for example, enzymes, hormones, and tissue extracts. One aim of this chapter is to describe the current technical problems associated with starch-gel electrophoresis and to consider their possible solutions. A second aim is to summarize the information already obtained by application of the method to studies of serum proteins and their inheritance, and to put this information into perspective in relation to future work. The chapter discusses the experimental procedures used for starch-gel electrophoresis and focus on the technical details is important for the realization of the best starch-gel separations. It provides a summary of the data relevant to the specific identification of serum components demonstrated by starch-gel electrophoresis. The chapter also reviews the results and significance of recent studies of serum proteins using the method. The nature of the physical factors governing the electrophoretic separations obtained in starch gels is discussed. The hypothesis is considered that molecular size plays a particularly important role in the separation processes, and the evidence in support of this is presented. Evidence concerning the validity of the results obtained in starch gels is also reviewed.