[Immunoelectrophoresis (author's transl)].

Immunoelectrophoresis is a combined technique of electrophoresis and double diffusion. The test has been widely used to enumerate and analyze the antigenic components in mixtures, and it is indispensable in the study of monoclonal gammopathy. The interpretation of reaction lines needs basic immunochemical knowledge about immunoglobulin and principles of immunoprecipitation. When properly performed, immunoelectrophoresis will, in most instances, confirm the diagnosis and establish the class and type of M protein. However, the reaction lines should be interpreted cautiously, and the immunoelectrophoretic pattern must be correlated with that of electrophoresis and also with the immunoglobulins levels. The basic immunoelectrophoretic patterns of most frequently encountered monoclonal gammopathies are presented and some of the difficult problems are discussed in this report.