submitted by Liu Dan. / Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-80). / Abstract also in Chinese. / CONTENTS --- p.i / LIST OF TABLES --- p.iii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.iv / LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.v / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.vi / ABSTRACT --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- History --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Immunoglobulins --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Structure --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Properties of immunoglobulins --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3 --- Monoclonal proteins and monoclonal gammopathies --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Monoclonal proteins --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Monoclonal gammopathies --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4 --- Laboratory investigation of monoclonal immunoglobulin --- p.17 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- The current procedure of investigation in laboratory --- p.17 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Problems in identifying monoclonal immunolgobuin --- p.19 / Chapter 1.5 --- Comparison of different techniques --- p.20 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Immunoelectrophoresis --- p.20 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Immunofixation electrophoresis --- p.22 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Isoelectric focusing and immunoisoelectric focusing --- p.24 / Chapter 1.6 --- Aim of the present study --- p.27 / Chapter 1.7 --- Design of experiment --- p.27 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- MATERIALS AND METHODS --- p.30 / Chapter 2.1 --- Study subjects --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2 --- Apparatus --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2 --- Apparatus --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3 --- Reagents and materials --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4 --- Preparation of gels --- p.35 / Chapter 2.5 --- Isoelectric focusing procedure --- p.36 / Chapter 2.6 --- Acid fixation and staining --- p.37 / Chapter 2.7 --- Technical factors affecting results --- p.38 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- RESULTS --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1 --- Interpretation of results in isoelectric focusing --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2 --- Affecting factors --- p.47 / Chapter 3.3 --- Comparison of the results between IEF and IFE --- p.53 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- DISCUSSION --- p.59 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- CONCLUSION --- p.65 / References --- p.66