Serum protein analysis

Question 1

SPEP bands

Answer 1

Prealbumin
Albumin
Alpha-1: A1AT
Alpha-2: A2-MG, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin
Beta-1: Transferrin
Beta-2: C3, IgA
Gamma: IgG, CRP

Question 2

Fibrinogen

Answer 2

Discrete band somewhere in beta-gamma region. Indicates plasma sample, not serum

Question 3

Bisalbuminemia

Answer 3

Benign albumin variant expressed heterozygously, creating a dual albumin peak.

Question 4

Positive acute phase reactants

Answer 4

Alpha-1 antritypsin
Haptoglobin
Ceruloplasmin
CRP
Fibrinogen

Question 5

Negative acute phase reactants

Answer 5

Albumin

Transferrin

Question 6

Patterns: Acute inflammation, chronic inflammation

Answer 6

Acute inflammation: Decreased albumin, increased alpha-1/2

Chronic inflammation: As above, with larger gamma

Question 7

Pattern: Cirrhosis

Answer 7

Decreased albumin, alpha-1/2, beta-1/2, beta-gamma bridging.

Question 8

Pattern: Nephrotic syndrome

Answer 8

Decrease in all peaks except alpha-2 (a2mg too big to filter)

Question 9

CSF electrophoresis

Answer 9

Prominent prealbumin band
Double beta (transferrin) band

Question 10

UPEP

Answer 10

Glomerular proteinuria: Prominent albumin, beta bands
Tubular proteinuria: Prominent alpha-1 and beta bands

Overflow proteinuria: Bence-Jones M spike

Question 11

Pattern: Hypogammaglobulinemia, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia

Answer 11

Increase or decrease in gamma band, broadlyt