An MLS student on her clinical rotation is running an immunofixation electrophoresis procedure on a 49 yo. male. She notes something peculiar in the total serum protein lane or in some systems this is...

An MLS student on her clinical rotation is running an immunofixation electrophoresis procedure on a 49 yo. male. She notes something peculiar in the total serum protein lane or in some systems this is called the SPE lane. In this lane, there is no band where albumin should be. All of the other bands are present. She checks the patient’s chemistry profile to find that his serum albumin is in the normal range.1. Is albumin an anion or cation?
2. Which direction should albumin move during electrophoresis, toward the anode or cathode?
3. What possible reason or reasons would cause the albumin not to show up on the gel?
4. Should the test be repeated and if so how should it be done differently?
5. Is it possible that the patient’s Iiver does not produce albumin due to chronic liver disease and that is why it did not show up on the SPE?