Before you kick the year off with a new diet and exercise regimen, watch tips on how to do it correctly.
Information and Resources
Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP)
The serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) test measures specific proteins in the blood to help identify some diseases. Proteins are substances made up of smaller building blocks called amino acids. Proteins carry a positive or a negative electrical charge, and they move in fluid when placed in an electrical field. Serum protein electrophoresis uses an electrical field to separate the proteins in the blood serum into groups of similar size, shape, and charge.
Blood serum contains two major protein groups: albumin and globulin. Both albumin and globulin carry substances through the bloodstream. Using protein electrophoresis, these two groups can be separated into five smaller groups (fractions):
- Albumin. Albumin proteins keep the blood from leaking out of blood vessels. Albumin also helps carry some medicines and other substances through the blood and is important for tissue growth and healing. More than half of the protein in blood serum is albumin.
- Alpha-1 globulin. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" type of cholesterol, is included in this fraction.
- Alpha-2 globulin. A protein called haptoglobin, that binds with hemoglobin, is included in the alpha-2 globulin fraction.
- Beta globulin. Beta globulin proteins help carry substances, such as iron, through the bloodstream and help fight infection.
-
Gamma globulin. These proteins are also called
antibodies. They help prevent and fight infection.
Gamma globulins bind to foreign substances, such as bacteria or viruses,
causing them to be destroyed by the
immune system. See a picture of the
immune system
.
Each of these five protein groups moves at a different rate in an electrical field and together form a specific pattern. This pattern helps identify some diseases.
Why It Is Done
Serum protein electrophoresis is most often done to:
- Screen for a disease such as multiple myeloma, macroglobulinemia, or amyloidosis.
- Find the cause of hypogammaglobulinemia (HGG), a condition characterized by low levels of gamma globulin antibodies. HGG can make a person more susceptible to infection.
How To Prepare
You do not need to do anything before you have this test.
Talk to your health professional about any
concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be
done, or what the results may mean. To help you understand the importance of
this test, fill out the
medical test information form
(What is a PDF document?).
How It Is Done
The health professional drawing blood will:
- Wrap an elastic band around your upper arm to stop the flow of blood. This makes the veins below the band larger so it is easier to put a needle into the vein.
- Clean the needle site with alcohol.
- Put the needle into the vein. More than one needle stick may be needed.
- Attach a tube to the needle to fill it with blood.
- Remove the band from your arm when enough blood is collected.
- Apply a gauze pad or cotton ball over the needle site as the needle is removed.
- Apply pressure to the site and then a bandage.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
June 11, 2010
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor.
Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this
information.
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
Top 12 Health Topics-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Top 12 Videos-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Hot Topics
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Kids' Top 6 Worries and How to Fix Them
- Surprising Headache Triggers
- Safe Ways to Lose Weight Fast
- Counting Carbs When You Use Insulin
- Fibromyalgia: Symptoms and Treatments
- CML: How It Affects Your Body
- 6 Sex Mistakes Men Make
- Dupuytren's Contracture: What You Need to Know
- Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
WebMD Video: Now Playing
FROM CBS NEWS
Online dating downsides, romantic tattoo gone wrong: HealthPop Valentine's Day video
Is online dating better than doing it the old fashioned way? Also, an 83-year-old woman gets a new jaw from a 3D printer; And, turns out - tattooing your penis isn't a good idea.
