IEF's most significant advantage is its high resolution, resulting in greater solute separation. IEF of serum proteins results in many more bands, which are sharper because each pH region is very narrow.
Performing IEF is easier because the placement of the sample application is unimportant. The sample and ampholytes can be mixed before application; the ampholytes will migrate, creating the gradient, and then the proteins will separate and migrate.
IEF separates some isoenzymes and variant hemoglobins in prenatal screening. A newer use of IEF is detecting oligoclonal bands in gamma-globulin. IEF is commonly used as one of the separations in two-dimensional electrophoresis.
