: Serum Protein Electrophoresis, Serum

: What This Test Measures

: Proteins in your serum are separated into groups—mainly albumin and the globulin fractions (alpha-1, alpha-2, beta, and gamma)—based on how they move in an electric field. The size and shape of each band can reveal whether protein levels are abnormal.

: Why It Is Ordered

: Your clinician may order this test to investigate unexplained fatigue, bone pain, recurring infections, kidney problems, or abnormal total protein or calcium results. It is also used to screen for or monitor conditions that produce an abnormal monoclonal protein.

: How the Sample Is Collected

: A small blood sample is drawn from a vein, usually in your arm, and the serum is separated for analysis. No special preparation is typically required unless your care team tells you otherwise.

: Understanding Your Results

: Results are reported as the relative amounts of each protein fraction and sometimes as a graph (electrophoresis pattern). A faint or sharp extra band in the gamma region, or shifts in other fractions, may prompt follow-up testing. Reference ranges vary by laboratory, so your report's own ranges and your clinician's interpretation matter most.