LIPOPROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS IN AGAROSE GEL

An electrophoretic procedure for the separation of lipoproteins is described which permits the simultanous separation of up to 48 samples within 120 min. 0.8% agarose gel in a Na-Veronal-HCl or Na-phosphate-Veronal buffer (0.025 M) at pH 8.2 is used as carrier medium and layered on 12 × 9 cm glass plates. The plates are placed on troughs cooled by running tap water; the voltage is 10 V/cm gel. A mixture of stained albumin and vitamin B12 is used as an indicator of the electrophoretic separation and for the calculation of the relative mobilities of the lipoproteins. After fixation, drying and staining with Sudan Black, the lipoprotein bands are registered by photometric scanning. Four bands of varying mobilities, concentration and sharpness of separation are observed in normal fasting serum, up to nine bands were seen in abnormal sera. The correlation of the lipoproteins with the usual protein fractions of serum and the reproducibility of the method are described. © 1968.