Krioprecipitation

Krioprecipitation is a laboratory technique used to separate proteins from a biological fluid, such as blood serum or plasma, based on differences in their solubility at low temperatures. The process involves cooling the sample to temperatures typically between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius, and sometimes as low as -20 degrees Celsius for a specific period. Proteins that are less soluble at these reduced temperatures will precipitate out of the solution, forming a solid or semi-solid mass.

The precipitated proteins can then be separated from the remaining liquid, or supernatant, through methods like centrifugation or filtration. The supernatant, now depleted of the precipitated proteins, can be further analyzed for other components. The collected precipitate can also be analyzed separately or resolubilized for further study. This technique is particularly useful for isolating specific types of proteins, such as immunoglobulins or cryoglobulins, which are known to precipitate at cold temperatures. Krioprecipitation is a common method in clinical diagnostics and biochemical research for protein purification and analysis.