Serum Protein Electrophoresis Test - Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP)

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) is a laboratory technique that separates serum proteins based on their size and electrical charge on a gel medium. The separation produces visible patterns (bands) representing the percentage of the major proteins: albumin, alpha-1 globulin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, and gamma globulin. The relative pattern of each group indicates abnormalities in production or loss, which aids in the diagnosis of various medical conditions.