ANALYTICAL GEL-FILTRATION OF DEXTRAN FOR STUDY OF THE GLOMERULAR BARRIER FUNCTION

Analytical gel filtration was used for the study of molecular size dis tribution of clinical dextran in serum and urine for the purpose of ev aluations of changes in the human glomerular barrier function. The col umn was calibrated in terms of solute size using a simple and accurate technique recently described. Only one sample of a dextran possessing a broad molecular mass distribution was necessary for the calibration procedure and the calculations were performed using an ordinary sprea dsheet. The accuracy of the calibration, as evaluated by protein sampl es, is better than 95%. The simplicity makes the method suitable for u se in laboratories not normally specializing in analytical gel filtrat ion. Calibration in terms of size is preferably done with respect to v iscosity radius to obtain relevant information about the permeability of dextran into porous membranes.