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Electrode Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.

These are the MediaLab courses that cover Electrode and links to relevant pages within the course.

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Electrophoresis
Principle of Electrophoresis

Charged particles under the influence of a liquid media placed in an electric field will migrate to the electrode of the opposite charge. Positive ions (cations) will migrate to the cathode, the negative electrode. Negative ions (anions) will migrate to the anode, the positive electrode.To get started, we will review terminology related to the charge characteristics of molecules.

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Which statement is correct for a protein with an isolectric point (pI) of 7.0?View Page
The pI of a protein is 9.2. This protein is placed in an electrical field where a buffer sets the pH at 10.0. Select the correct statement regarding the electrophoretic migration of this protein.View Page
Role of Buffers

The two important purposes of the buffer are to create the pH and to conduct the current. The buffer ions will carry the current during electrophoresis. The pH set by the buffer determines the net charge on the solutes. The pH ionizes these solutes and the resulting net charge determines which electrode the solutes migrate toward. Besides setting the pH, the buffer also maintains the pH throughout the electrophoresis of the sample.

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Proteins in a buffer setting the pH at 8.6 will become anions and move to the positively charged electrode.View Page
Electrophoresis Equipment

In addition to the specimen sample, support medium and buffer for electrophoresis, a power supply, positive and negative electrodes, chamber, and identification or detection method are needed.The power supply is a source of constant voltage or current that provides energy to the electrodes. This drives the movement of the ions in the medium and results in the movement and separation of the molecules or solutes in the specimen. Control of current or voltage comes with the power source in order to make adjustments.The chamber is divided into two sections or has two reservoirs for the buffer and one electrode is placed in each. The support medium is laid over the chamber in such a way that it connects the two reservoirs. A lid or cover is placed over the chamber during electrophoresis.

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Isoelectric Focusing (IEF)

Isoelectric focusing is a type of separation where the solutes migrate based upon a different principle. The separation takes place on a gel where a pH gradient has been created using ampholytes. Ampholytes are a mixtures of amphoteric polyaminocarboxylic acids. This mixture possesses a range of pIs, a high buffering capacity at each pH, and is used to create pH gradients.When ampholytes undergo electropohoresis, each individual ampholyte migrates to its own region, an area that matches its pI. After migration of ampholytes, the gel has stable pH zones of increasing pH or a pH gradient. The solutes in the specimen do not migrate to the electrode of opposite charge but to the zone or area that matches their pI. IEF is performed on a gel in a capillary tube, strip, or plate. Gels used are most commonly polyacrylamide gels but agarose and cellulose acetate can also be used.

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In isoelectric focusing, the basis of separation of solutes is different than the other types of electrophoresis. Which statement below correctly describes this feature of isoelectric focusing?View Page
Which statements below are associated with electroendosmosis?View Page


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