VMC 221: Veterinary Immunology and Serology (1+1)

IMMUNOELECTROPHORESIS

• Involves the electrophoresis of the antigen mixture in agar gel in one direction.
• A trough is then cut in the agar gel to one side and parallel to the line of separated protein.
• Antiserum is placed in this trough and allowed to diffuse laterally.
• When the diffusing antibody encounters antigen, curved lines of precipitates are formed.
• One arc of precipitate forms for each constituent in the antigen mixture.
• Immunoelectrophoresis can resolve normal serum proteins into 25-40 distinct bands and can be used to identify absence of normal serum proteins and also excess of some proteins (Example: in myeloma)