Isoelectric Focusing Followed by Silver Staining

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Abstract
CSF and serum samples from 361 consecutive patients were investigated. The protein pattern of each sample was examined by isoelectric focusing (IEF) of unconcentrated CSF followed by Ag staining and by agar gel electrophoresis of concentrated CSF stained with amido black and 347 paired samples were compared. The results were the same in 83% of the samples. Discordant results were found in 10% of the samples, and in 7% additional information was achieved by 1 of the methods. IEF was superior to agar gel electrophoresis for the identification of oligoclonal immune reactions of the CNS. Tau globulin increase was seen in a few CSF samples, more often with IEF and then associated with other changes of the pattern. IEF of unconcentrated CSF followed by Ag staining only required 20 .mu.l CSF, while 3-4 ml CSF is needed for the agar gel electrophoretic method. IEF has several advantages compared to agar gel electrophoresis and is suitable as a routine method in clinical laboratories.