Basic Principle and Operation:

From the foregoing discussion, it should be clear in which electrophoresis is a separation technique based on differential rate of migration of charged species within a buffer solution across that a dc electric field is applied. An electrophoresis separation is achieved through injection of a small volume of sample within an aqueous buffer solution that is hold on a porous support medium like paper or semi-solid gel or a narrow tube.

A simple schematic diagram of gel electrophoresis is display in Figure.

Figure:  A simple schematic diagram of gel electrophoresis

The potential applied causes the species to migrate towards the one or the other electrode. The rate of migration of a provide species depends upon the charge and also the size. Therefore, the separations are based upon the differences in charge to size ratios of the several species. The larger is this ratio, a faster an ion migrates inside the influence of the electric field.