[The relationship between age and the cerebrospinal fluid protein profile profile of normal children. Cellulose acetate and agarose gel electrophoretic studies].

Neuropädiatrie 6: 383--397 (1975). CSF samples of 63 normal children 2 days to 14 years of age were concentrated (ultrafiltration in "Kollodiumhülsen") and examined by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate and agarose gel. In the CSF of all children 7 protein fractions were found by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Analysing the pherograms by the means of an analog computer 15 fractions could be separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Compared with the children of school age the newborn showed low prealbumin, beta1-globulin and tau-globulin fractions besides high albumin and gamma-globulin concentrations owing to an increased permeability of the blood-CSF barrier. During the following weeks a low prealbumin and a high albumin fraction still was found. Children from 3 month to 2 years of age showed a moderate increase of the relative prealbumin and beta1-globulin concentration in comparison with older children. The gamma-globulin fraction was lowest beyond the third month of life and increased again in the group of the 2--14 years old children. The variation of the protein profile with age could not only be demonstrated by the more difficult agarose gel electrophoresis but also by a simple technique of cellulose acetate electrophoresis.