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Use of a commercially available reagent for the selective detection of homocysteine in plasma

Nature Protocols volume 1, pages 2759–2762 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

A procedure for the detection of homocysteine (Hcy) in blood plasma is described. A commercially available chromogen is added to the plasma sample. The plasma solution turns from yellow to blue upon heating for 4 min when a detectable threshold level of Hcy is present. Chromatographic separations and immunogenic materials are not needed. The protocol takes ∼30 min.

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Figure 1: Hcy undergoes a thiyl radical to carbon radical rearrangement more readily than other biothiols.
Figure 2: Photographs of vials containing human blood plasma and methyl viologen dication in buffer solution containing (from upper to lower)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 70803, Louisiana, USA

    Jorge O Escobedo, Weihua Wang & Robert M Strongin

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  1. Jorge O Escobedo
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  2. Weihua Wang
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  3. Robert M Strongin
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Correspondence to Robert M Strongin.

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Escobedo, J., Wang, W. & Strongin, R. Use of a commercially available reagent for the selective detection of homocysteine in plasma. Nat Protoc 1, 2759–2762 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nprot.2006.399

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