Sample Preparation & Gel Electrophoresis Troubleshooting

Electric currents, wires, leads, combs, leaks… so many opportunities for trouble. But we still use gels, because electrophoresis remains an effective way to separate proteins — so that the results of antibody-based immunodetection can be fairly unequivocal.

Click on the Sample Preparation & Gel Electrophoresis topics to read about the possible causes and remedies:

• No Bands or Gel Front
  
• Sample Doesn't Sink to the Bottom of the Well
  
• Sample Leaking Out of Well
  
• Bands Are Smeared Vertically
  
• Too Many Bands
  
• Gel Running Unusually Slowly
  
• Gel Running Unusually Fast
  
• Protein Bands Too Close Together (Not Completely Resolved)
  
• Leftmost and/or Rightmost Bands of the Gel are Distorted
  
• Bands Form Smiling Shapes