Of the hemoglobin types normally present in an adult, hemoglobin A migrates the fastest, followed by hemoglobin F. Hemoglobin A2 moves only slightly from the point of origin near the cathode.
Abnormal hemoglobins show the following migration patterns:
- Hemoglobin C migrates with hemoglobin A2 near the cathode.
- Hemoglobin S lies between hemoglobin A2 and Hemoglobin F.
- Hemoglobin H and Bart's hemoglobin are unstable and very fast moving placing them past hemoglobin A and near the anode with hemoglobin H being the fastest of the two.
Relative migrations of hemoglobin variants on alkaline electrophoresis can be seen below.
