5 Questions
What is the total plasma protein level range, and what is the approximate proportion of albumin in it?
The total plasma protein level ranges from 6-7 gm/dl, and albumin constitutes over half of the total protein.
What is the difference between albumin and globulin in terms of their reaction to half-saturated ammonium sulfate?
Albumin is not precipitated by half-saturated ammonium sulfate, whereas globulin is precipitated by half-saturated ammonium sulfate.
How does the albumin and globulin levels change with age, and what is the significance of this change?
After the age of 40, albumin gradually declines with an increase in globulins, which may be indicative of underlying health issues.
What is the composition of globulin, and how are its subcomponents detected?
Globulin is a complex protein with many components, including α1, α2, β, and γ-globulins, which are detected as bands on electrophoresis.
What is the purpose of using a densitometer in plasma protein analysis?
A densitometer is used to semi-quantitate the different plasma protein bands, providing a more accurate picture of protein composition.
Study Notes
Plasma Composition
- Plasma is the non-cellular portion of blood.
- Total plasma protein level ranges from 6-7 gm/dl.
Types of Plasma Proteins
- There are two main categories of plasma proteins: albumin and globulin.
Albumin
- Albumin is not precipitated by half-saturated ammonium sulfate.
- Albumin constitutes over half of the total protein.
- Albumin level ranges from 3.5-5.5 gm/dl.
- Albumin is a simple protein and a single entity.
Globulin
- Globulin is precipitated by half-saturated ammonium sulfate.
- Globulin level ranges from 2-3 gm/dl.
- Globulin is a complex protein with many components.
- Subglobulins (α1, α2, β, and γ-globulins) are detected as bands on electrophoresis.
Age-Related Changes
- After the age of 40, albumin levels gradually decline, and globulin levels increase.
Electrophoresis
- Electrophoresis is used to separate and identify plasma proteins.
- The electrophoretic pattern is shown in Fig. 1a.
- Different plasma protein bands are semi-quantitated using a densitometer (Fig. 1b).
Learn about the composition and classification of plasma proteins, including albumin and globulin, and their normal levels in human blood.
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