A comparative study of some physico-chemical properties of human serum albumin samples from different sources--I. Some physico-chemical properties of isoionic human serum albumin solutions.

Human serum albumin samples from different sources were investigated. The fatty acid content of the albumin before and after deionization on a mixed bed ion-exchange column varied from sample to sample. When an albumin sample from one source was deionized under standard conditions the amount of fatty acid bound by the albumin was reduced to a reproducible amount. In samples from different sources, however, the amount bound varied considerably. Also the isoionic pH of the albumin varied from sample to sample. This variation could be attributed to the difference in the fatty acid content and the different number of titratable histidines and acid amino-acid residues in the albumin from different sources. It can be concluded from the specific conductance of these isoionic solutions that ions other than H-, OH and protein are effectively removed by a mixed bed ion-exchange column. The specific conductance of the albumin samples is directly related to the isoionic pH. Therefore, the isoionic pH and the specific conductance of the albumins reflect the heterogeneity of the albumin samples with respect to their primary structure and fatty acid content.