How do you explain protein electrophoresis?
Protein electrophoresis is a standard laboratory technique by which charged protein molecules are transported through a solvent by an electrical field. Both proteins and nucleic acids may be separated by electrophoresis, which is a simple, rapid, and sensitive analytical tool.
What is protein electrophoresis blood test for?
The test separates proteins in the blood based on their electrical charge. The protein electrophoresis test is often used to find abnormal substances called M proteins. The presence of M proteins can be a sign of a type of cancer called myeloma, or multiple myeloma.
What does it mean when your protein electrophoresis is high?
Usually, the amount of total protein in your blood is relatively stable. High blood protein may be a symptom of underlying medical conditions, including dehydration, infections like hepatitis C or cancers like multiple myeloma.
What is a normal protein electrophoresis?
Normal value ranges are: Total protein: 6.4 to 8.3 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or 64 to 83 grams per liter (g/L)
When do you do protein electrophoresis?
Indications. Serum protein electrophoresis commonly is performed when multiple myeloma is suspected. The examination also should be considered in other “red flag” situations (Table 1).
Why is electrophoresis test done?
What is it used for? Hemoglobin electrophoresis measures hemoglobin levels and looks for abnormal types of hemoglobin. It’s most often used to help diagnose anemia, sickle cell disease, and other hemoglobin disorders.
What diseases does serum protein electrophoresis test for?
Serum protein electrophoresis is used to identify patients with multiple myeloma and other serum protein disorders. Electrophoresis separates proteins based on their physical properties, and the subsets of these proteins are used in interpreting the results.
What are the symptoms of too much protein in your blood?
Symptoms associated with too much protein include:
- intestinal discomfort and indigestion.
- dehydration.
- unexplained exhaustion.
- nausea.
- irritability.
- headache.
- diarrhea.
When is serum protein electrophoresis indicated?
Serum protein electrophoresis is most commonly ordered when multiple myeloma is suspected and observation of a monoclonal band (paraprotein) indicates that monoclonal gammopathy may be present in the patient.
Where is electrophoresis used?
Gel electrophoresis is widely used in the molecular biology and biochemistry labs in areas such as forensic science, conservational biology, and medicine. Some key applications of the technique are listed below: In the separation of DNA fragments for DNA fingerprinting to investigate crime scenes.
What are the symptoms of too much protein in your body?
Should I be worried about high-protein in blood?
A high total protein level could indicate dehydration or a certain type of cancer, such as multiple myeloma, that causes protein to accumulate abnormally. If the result of a total protein test is abnormal, further tests will be needed to identify which proteins are too high or too low.