Rapid quantitative surface immunofixation of proteins in polyacrylamide gels

A new method is described which allows rapid identification of sub-microgram amounts of protein in polyacrylamide gels. The technique has been applied to samples of cerebrospinal fluid and serum and is suitable for localisation of both discrete protein bands and diffuse zones. Results from cerebrospinal fluid confirm that IgG is localised in the oligoclonal bands seen in multiple sclerosis. Given antibody excess, there is a linear relationship between the amount of protein applied to the gel and the density of the stained immune complexes on the gel surface.