Serum electrophoresis (separation of protein components, immunodiffusion)

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.