A simple silver-staining technique for detecting Bence Jones proteins in unconcentrated urine.

Detection of Bence Jones proteins in urine usually involves a concentration step, followed by electrophoresis and, if necessary, immunofixation. The time-consuming and expensive concentration step can be eliminated by use of the silver-stain technique described here. This procedure, routinely used for staining unconcentrated urine, is inexpensive, sensitive, and easily performed in a clinical laboratory. Bence Jones proteins can be detected in concentrations as low as 5 mg/L.