Electrophoresis using contour-clamped electric fields.

摘要

A gel electrophoresis method and apparatus is described in which the shape and orientation of the electric field is controlled by contour clamping. Electrodes are arranged around a closed contour. Two or more electrodes, the driving electrodes, are clamped at a potential difference phi 0 to establish the general orientation and strength of the electric field. The remaining electrodes are clamped to intermediate potentials to control the shape of the field established by the driving electrodes. The field is varied in accordance with the purpose of the electrophoresis, depending upon the size of the particles and the information to be determined concerning the particles.