Effect of sample preparation on cerebrospinal fluid protein patterns in polyacrylamide gels.

The method of preparing CSF and dilute serum samples for polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has a marked effect on the pattern of the resolved proteins. The incorporation of sucrose or glycerol into the sample seriously impairs the quality of the resolution and affects the actual number of bands resolved and the relative mobility of certain proteins. The use of sucrose as an anti-convection medium in dense samples such as serum and CSF is not recommended.