serum electrophoresis ( separation of protein components, immunodiffusion )
Last reviewed 08/2021
Serum electrophoresis is used in the diagnosis of specific diseases:
- multiple myeloma
- Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia
- other serum protein gammopathies
- hypogammaglobulinaemia e.g. agammaglobulinaemia,
- bisalbuminaemia
- afibrinogenaemia
- atransferrinaemia
- Wilson's disease
Monoclonal gammopathies:
- IgG gammopathy is the most common (60% of patients) with or without Bence Jones proteins
- IgA gammopathy (16% of patients approx.)
- IgM gammopathy (15% of patients approx.)
- Bence Jones gammopathy (light-chain disease) (9% of patients approx.)
- IgE and IgD gammopathy are very rare
Note that only about 2/3 of patients with monoclonal gammopathy are symptomatic (IgG, IgA,IgD, and Bence Jones gammopathies are associated with classic picture of multiple myeloma (increased M protein (monoclonal) > 3g/dl and increased number of plasma cells in marrow > 25%)). IgM gammopathy is associated with macroglobulinaemia.