What is one of the common clinical uses of polyacrylamide electrophoresis (PAGE)?

Polyacrylamide electrophoresis (PAGE) is widely utilized in clinical and research settings primarily for the separation of proteins based on their molecular size. This technique allows for the resolution of proteins into distinct bands on a gel matrix, where smaller proteins migrate faster through the gel compared to larger ones. This size-dependent separation is critical in various applications, including disease diagnosis, analyzing protein expression, and investigating protein purity.

The use of PAGE is essential for assessing protein characteristics in clinical settings, as it provides insights into the molecular weight of proteins, which can be vital for identifying anomalies related to specific diseases. For instance, in the laboratory diagnosis of certain blood disorders, PAGE is employed to evaluate the presence or absence of specific proteins or their isoforms.

In contrast, other options, such as determining protein-protein interactions, visualizing DNA fragments, and separating lipid complexes, involve different methodologies and techniques that are not the primary function of PAGE. Protein-protein interactions often require additional techniques like co-immunoprecipitation or surface plasmon resonance. DNA fragment visualization typically utilizes agarose gel electrophoresis. Lipid complexes require different approaches like chromatography for effective separation. Therefore, the common clinical use of PAGE is fundamentally rooted in its ability to separate proteins