fig1

Figure 1. Free flow electrophoresis (FEE) and its principle. (A) Image of the FFE device developed by FFE Service. (B) Principle of the FFE device, as described in detail in the text: analytes loaded into the sample inlet are transported by a longitudinal flow and separated in a vertical electric field (see orange line as an example for one analyte). The migration speed of given analytes within the electric field is related to their isoelectric points and depends on the pH values of separation buffers within the separation area. To avoid analytes getting into contact with either electrode, specific stabilization buffers that regularly feature higher pH values protect the electrodes. At the end of the separation chamber driven by a counterflow, separated analytes are collected in 96 different pores connected with hoses to a fraction collector loading samples into 96-well plates. By spectral analyses at different wave lengths, pherograms of the fractioned samples are recorded.