Rapid detection and initial characterization of genetic variants of human serum albumin.

We have studied the detection and classification of genetic variants of human serum albumin by electrophoresis. Samples from 10 patients who were heterozygous for eight different albumin variants were studied by two methods. In agarose gel electrophoresis, each of these variants has an abnormal mobility and can be classified on the basis that structural changes at the N-terminus abolish 63Ni binding. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole serum, glycosylated variants are easily detected because of their greater apparent molecular mass.