Fractionation of Serum Proteins by Ammonium Sulfate

Abstract

Although several more sophisticated procedures for serum protein fractionation have been described since Kendall (1937) published the ammonium sulfate procedure for gamma globulin isolation, this is still the simplest and one of the most efficient methods if one does not wish to separate the different Immunoglobulin fractions from each other. This method gives a preparation which contains almost all of the Immunoglobulins together with other nonimmune serum globulins and with relatively low percentages of albumin. The material obtained is suitable for the preparation of fluorochrome- or ferritin-labeled Immunoglobulins as well as for further purification. The procedure requires no elaborate equipment, and is carried out at room temperature.