Clinical capillary electrophoresis.

Capillary electrophoresis is a relatively new analytical technique that has begun to have an impact in the clinical laboratory, both for routine analyses and for those that are more esoteric. Its potential for automated, rapid, high-efficiency separations makes it appealing as a replacement for some of the more labor-intensive assays carried out in electrophoretic gels and as a complement to companion techniques such as HPLC. Among the many attractive characteristics of this technology is its versatility for analyses of a diverse spectrum of analytes, ranging from small organic ions to macromolecular protein complexes or DNA. The focus of this commentary is to familiarize the clinical scientist with the instrumentation and principles of capillary electrophoretic separation and to review the recent research demonstrating the applicability of this technology to the clinical laboratory.