Akademik

Gel electrophoresis

The process in which molecules (such as proteins, DNA, or RNA fragments) can be separated according to size and electrical charge by applying an electric current to them while they are in a gel. The current forces the molecules through pores in a thin layer of gel, a firm jelly-like substance. The gel can be made so that its pores are just the right dimensions for separating molecules within a specific range of sizes and shapes. Smaller fragments usually travel further than large ones.

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gel electrophoresis n electrophoresis in which molecules (as proteins and nucleic acids) migrate through a gel and esp. a polyacrylamide gel and separate into bands according to size

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a type of zone electrophoresis in which the support medium is a gel, in the form of tubes or a thin slab; it is usually composed of agarose, polyacrylamide, or starch and is so named. Specific types are used to separate certain classes of molecules on the basis of change, size, or both.

Medical dictionary. 2011.