[Capillary electrophoresis: principle and applications].

Capillary Zone Electrophoresis is a new separation technique which is performed in capillaries (ID smaller than 100 microns). The separations are carried out according to several modes which are mainly the Free Solution Capillary Electrophoresis, the Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography and the Gel Capillary Electrophoresis. Many detection systems can be used. This technique has many advantages: high separative power, short time of analysis, low cost of operation and very low sample consumption. Capillary electrophoresis and HPLC appear to be complementary because they are based on different physical and chemical properties. Capillary electrophoresis has a great potential of applications for both chemical and biochemical analysis. This new and very efficient analytical technique is of growing interest for biochemical analysis and its use is likely to increase rapidly.