Serum protein electrophoresis

Background
- Electrophoresis is a method to separate protein.

5 components
- albumin:
   - the largest component
   - increased: dehydration
   - decreased: nefrotic syndrome, malnutrition, liver disease
- alfa-1
   - alfa 1 antirypsin, thryoid binding globulin
   - increased: malignancy
   - decreased:  liver disease, alfa 1 antitrypsin deficiency
- alfa-2
   - haptoglobin, macroglobulin
- beta
   - 2 peaks
   - beta-1: transferrin
   - beta-2: IgA, IgM, sometimes IgG
- between beta and gamma
   - CRP
- gamma
  - monoclonal (potentially malignant, sharp peak) vs. polyclonal (reactive)