Quantitative Parameters in Affinity Chromatography

Abstract

While the notion of purifying biopolymers in general (and proteins in particular) by selectively adsorbing them onto a specific carrier was reported some time ago (Lerman, 1953), a great surge in the application of this technique has recently followed the introduction of the term “affinity chromatography” (Cuatrecasas, et al. 1968). While mnemonically useful, this term does not adequately describe many of the processes reported in papers on affinity chromatography. Most papers typically describe a solidphase adsorption process using a specifically designed carrier material. Rarely is any description made of relative mobilities, of partition coefficients, or of separation factors. Indeed a column is not even required as demonstrated by Porath (1972) and others.