The Plasma Proteins in Disease

The term euglobulin" as employed in connection with the plasma proteins in disease ordinarily refers to the Howe euglobulin fraction. The same term may be used, however, to indicate proteins precipitated by 0.33-cnturated ammonium sulfate solution, proteins precipitated out of serum by addition of distilled water or by dialysis (proteins insoluble in distilled water near their isoelectric points but soluble in dilute sidt solutions), or proteins precipitated out of serum by lowering the pH, usually by introducing carbon dioxide. Needless to say, much confusion has resulted from these different usages. 

How much more is within the reach of available techniques is indicated clearly by the successes already achieved in the separation of a number of protein components of normal human plasma by improved chemical, electrophoretic, and immunochemical methods, and by refinements in amino acid analyses. These and other recent advances suggest means for better definition of the plasma proteins in disease, with possible diagnostic applications. The isotope technique particularly offers a promising approach to metabolic studies which it is hoped will throw light upon the synthesis of plasma proteins in health and disease, elucidation of which will doubtless clarify many disease mechanisms. 

---