Multimodal application of lectin affinity electrophoresis of α‐fetoprotein

AbstractMultimodal application of lectin affinity electrophoresis of α‐fetoprotein (AFP) glycoforms is reviewed. Crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis developed by Bøg‐Hansen and others was extended to tandem‐lectin affinity electrophoresis by tandem lining of two different lectin gels and to mixed‐lectin affinity electrophoresis. By introducing an antibody‐affinity blotting technique for detection of separated glycoforms of AFP, several two‐dimensional combinations of lectin affinity electrophoresis became possible: two different lectins for the first and second dimension electrophoresis, lectin‐gradient affinity electrophoresis, and electrophoretic separation of lectin isoforms in the first‐dimension electrophoresis, followed by affinity electrophoresis against the separated lectin isoforms. Usefulness of the different modalities of lectin affinity electrophoresis for several analytical purposes has been described.