Method and device for carrying out 2d electrophoresis in large gels

Abstract

A method and apparatus for separating and identifying proteins in protein mixtures using a protein-permeable material in the shape of a tube, hose, capillary, fiber, or braided tubes or fibers. Proteins are separated in a first dimension, then the porous protein-permeable material is inserted into a case containing a flat gel without removing the gel fiber from the porous tube. Separation in a second dimension is then performed by gel electrophoresis. The porous protein-permeable material may be encased in a plastic housing which may connect several porous tubes and form a tube array. The tube array may be enclosed and connected by a double-layer plastic film, which can be easily separated to remove the porous tubes. A transverse reinforcement platform and a clamping member may fasten the tube array in an isoelectric focusing chamber. A pipetting robot may be provided for automatically dispensing a protein sample into the porous tube.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.