Question

An MLS student on her clinical rotation is running an immunofixation electrophoresis procedure on a 49 yo. male. She notes something peculiar in the total serum protein lane or in some systems this is called the SPE lane. In this lane, there is no band where albumin should be. All of the other bands are present. She checks the patient’s chemistry profile to find that his serum albumin is in the normal range.
1. Is albumin an anion or cation?
2. Which direction should albumin move during electrophoresis, toward the anode or cathode?
3. What possible reason or reasons would cause the albumin not to show up on the gel?
4. Should the test be repeated and if so how should it be done differently?
5. Is it possible that the patient’s Iiver does not produce albumin due to chronic liver disease and that is why it did not show up on the SPE?

Answer 1

Answer:

1.)negatively charged protein 

2.)positive anode

3.) shock

4.) ?

5.)decreased synthesis by the hepatocytes and water and sodium retention

Explanation:

1.Albumin is a negatively charged protein and its loss from the serum results in the retention of other negatively charged ions such as chloride and bicarbonate. As bicarbonate and chloride anions are used to calculate the anion gap, there is a subsequent decrease in the gap

2.At physiologic pH, most proteins are negatively charged, with albumin having a stronger negative charge and migrating further towards the positive anode, whereas immunoglobulins have the weakest negative charge and are closer to the negatively charged cathode.

3.?

4.?

5.Human serum albumin and liver cirrhosis

Patients with advanced cirrhosis almost always have hypoalbuminemia caused both by decreased synthesis by the hepatocytes and water and sodium retention that dilutes the

content of albumin in the extracellular space

#ihopethiscorrect.