Miniature electrophoresis for speed and productivity

Attempts to miniaturize electrophoresis (EP) to save time or enhance productivity and efficiency remains a challenge for science and industry. Other advantages of miniaturization include: increased sensitivity, saving of reagents, greater yield of data, and enabling studies where only small samples are available. Since electrophoresis that takes hours may be reduced to a matter of minutes, the limitations of miniaturization in clinical, industrial, and research applications are evaluated. Clinical electrophoresis (EP) on cellulose acetate media can be performed in 3.5 min instead of 20–45 min and on SDS polyacrylamide gels in 15–30 min compared with conventional 3–8 h.