Frequencies of the Haptoglobin Groups in 406 French Blood Donors

Abstract

The method of zone electrophoresis in starch gel enabled Smithies¹ to describe three haptoglobin groups in human sera. Using a standard technique previously reported^2,3 we have examined the sera of 406 blood donors living in Paris. In each ‘Plexiglas’ tray (internal dimensions 234 mm. × 80 mm. × 6 mm.) three serum samples mixed with a hæmoglobin solution (0.05 ml. of a solution containing 50 mgm. of hæmoglobin being added to 1 ml. of serum) were allowed to migrate simultaneously, side by side, for 18 hr., under a potential of 100 V. After electrophoresis the starch gels were divided into two slices and stained, one with amido black, and the other with benzidine reagent for peroxidase activity. The technique was the same as that previously described and used to detect hæmoglobins in agar gels⁴ but without using zinc acetate as a solution.