Micro free-flow electrophoresis: theory and applications

Abstract

Free-flow electrophoresis (FFE) is a technique that performs an electrophoretic separation on a continuous stream of analyte as it flows through a planar flow channel. The electric field is applied perpendicularly to the flow to deflect analytes laterally according to their mobility as they flow through the separation channel. Miniaturization of FFE (μFFE) over the past 15 years has allowed analytical and preparative separation of small volume samples. Advances in chip design have improved separations by reducing interference from bubbles generated by electrolysis. Mechanisms of band broadening have been examined theoretically and experimentally to improve resolution in μFFE. Separations using various modes such as zone electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, isotachophoresis, and field-step electrophoresis have been demonstrated.

Reassemblable quasi‐chip free‐flow electrophoresis with simple heating dispersion for rapid micropreparation of trypsin in crude porcine pancreatin

“…S1). Evidently, the size of developed QC-FFE device was slightly higher than the size of C-FFE (20-40 mm  20-56 mm  20-60 mm, the corresponding volume 20-134 mL) [39], but greatly less than that of LS-FFE (e.g. 400 mm  182 mm  (0.4-1.2) mm 5 56.2-87.4 mL [40][41][42]).…”

“…It has 16 outlets for fractionation, hydrostatic-induced uniform background buffer and sample flows, and 108-654 mL chamber higher than that of C-FFE [39] but less than the one of LS-FFE [40][41][42]. The device could be well used for the micropurification of model enzyme of trypsin in crude sample.…”

Microfluidic Technology for Cell Manipulation

“…EP has been mainly utilized for particle purification [87][88][89][90] and separation [83,[91][92][93][94][95][96]. It has advantages of ease of particle manipulation and simplicity [24,27].…”

The Current State of the Golgi Proteomes

“…Apparatus design has consistently advanced along with the fields to which FFE has been applied. MicroFFE apparatus designs (Turgeon & Bowser, 2009) have overcome some of the imperfections inherent in the technique. Entirely liquid phase and continuous, FFE is appropriate for large scale, preparative fractionation of cells, organelles, proteins and peptides.…”

“…However, this was prior to the proteomic era and was never The diagram outlines a late commercially model available through BD Diagnostics, with counter flow at sample outlets and stabilization buffers at the extreme anodic and cathodic carrier buffer inlets (Islinger et al, 2010). MicroFFE apparatus are similar with 56.5 mm ×35 mm × 30 mm dimensions (Turgeon & Bowser, 2009). …”