Protein Electrophoresis is a laboratory test used to analyze the types of proteins in blood or urine and to detect abnormal patterns associated with various diseases. This test uses an electric current to separate proteins based on their size and electrical charge in a gel or specific medium, dividing them into major groups: albumin (responsible for maintaining osmotic pressure and transporting substances) and globulins (including alpha-1, alpha-2, beta, and gamma fractions).
The normal protein pattern helps in diagnosing conditions such as liver diseases (reduced albumin), nephrotic syndrome (protein loss in urine), chronic infections, or autoimmune diseases (increased gamma globulins in a polyclonal pattern). This test is also critical for identifying monoclonal gammopathy (such as multiple myeloma), which appears as a sharp, dense band in the gamma region due to the overproduction of a single type of antibody.
Abnormal results may require further tests such as immunofixation or free light chain assay to confirm the diagnosis. Interpretation of protein electrophoresis should be integrated with clinical symptoms, patient history, and other lab tests (such as creatinine and liver function tests). This test plays a key role in the early diagnosis and monitoring of hematologic, renal, or immunologic disorders.
