Investigation of the apparent delay in mobility of albumin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin 1-1 and fibrinogen in electroimmunodiffusion.

Differences in mobility of free and complex-bound antigen molecules during electrophoresis in antibody-free and antibody-containing agarose gel were investigated with albumin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin and fibrinogen. The combination of line electrophoresis and one-dimensional single electroimmunodiffusion as designed for this purpose is described. Differences in time between the start of line electrophoresis and that of rockets, in view of their influence on the formation of the line precipitate, served as reference values. Three basic types of morphology of the line precipitate in the area of possible interaction between line and rocket precipitation were distinguished: total interruption, partial interruption and no interruption. By means of the time differences indicator system it was found that this apparent reduction in mobility during electroimmunodiffusion of the antigens tested was reversely proportional to the electrophoretic mobility of free antigens.