Effect of molecular weights of colloidal dextran on human serum lipids.

When 6-percent colloidal solutions of dextran (molecular weights, 10.000 to 500.000) are mixed with human serum in vitro, a new dextran-lipid fraction appears in paper strip electrophoresis between the starting point and the gamma globulins. The intensity of this dextran-lipid fraction increases with the progressive increase of molecular weight of the dextran used, and this increased intensity of the dextran-lipid fraction is accompanied simultaneously by an appropriate decrease of the lipid fraction migrating with the beta globulins. The intensity of the A-lipoproteins and the neutral fats adsorbed at the starting point seems unaltered by the application of dextran in colloidal solution regardless of the molecular weight of the dextran used. No change of the protein patterns was observed.