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Electrophoretic analysis of the plasma proteins is commonly used in diagnosis of disease. Electrophoresis of plasma buffered at pH 8.6 separate the major plasma proteins as they migrate to an anode in the electric field into bands or peaks, based on their charge differences.

An immediate response that occurs with stress or inflammation caused by infection, personal injury, or surgical trauma in which haptoglobins in the alpha 2 mobility band are selectively increased. A late response is correlated with infection and shown an increase in immunoglobulins. Immunosuppressive disease is an example of a hypo gamma globulinemia. In hepatic cirrhosis there is a broad elevation of the gamma globulins with reduction of albumin. Monoclonal gammopathies are due to the clonal synthesis of unique immunoglobulins and give rise to a sharp gamma globulin band. Nephritic syndrome shows a selective loss of lower molecular weight proteins from plasma. These patterns show a decrease in albumin (65 kDa), but retention of the bands composed of the higher molecular weight proteins alpha 2 macroglobulin (725 kDa) and beta lipoproteins (2000 kDa) in the alpha 2 bands. The slight increase in the alpha 2 bands is due to an immediate or late response from a stressful stimulus.