QUANTITATIVE FRACTIONATION OF COMPONENT PROTEINS OF HUMAN SERUM WITH CATIONIC DETERGENTS 1

Abstract

Quantitative turbidometric analysis of the alpha globulins, total globulin and total protein concn. of human serum is made utilizing a cationic detergent octadecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride with suitable conditions of pH and salt concn. By derivation, the albumin and the beta and gamma globulin concn. is then calculated. Comparative studies with Tiselius electrophoresis reveal excellent correlation of the cationic detergent assay method with the electrophoretic technic for detn. of these serum protein components. Since as little as 0.05 ml. of serum suffices for a complete assay, the cationic detergent technic permits serial study of protein alterations in various diseases. In clinical conditions such as multiple myeloma and in certain liver diseases where abnormal proteins are found, interesting but diagnostic discrepancies are found between the electrophoretic assay and the cationic detergent assay.