Possibilities of using protein electrophoresis to assess metabolism in horses (literature review)

Background.Electrophoresis is a common and effective method for assessing the protein profile of humans and animals. The method of protein separation by electrophoresis has been well established since its discovery and has been developed and improved over several decades. At the present stage this procedure does not lose its relevance and finds new areas of application. Purpose.To study and analyze the accumulated experience in the application of protein detection methods by electrophoresis, in particular for the assessment of equine metabolism. Materials and methods.Literature search was performed by keywords using open databases: PubMed, eLibrary, Scopus, and Google Academic search engine. The most significant works on the topic of the review were selected and analyzed. Results.The molecular weight, size and shape of the molecule as well as its total charge are the main factors that make it possible to separate complex mixtures into separate fractions due to differences in their velocity. Successful separation of protein mixtures is influenced not only by the nature of the proteins, but also by the supporting medium, which must fulfill important characteristics: maintain optimal pH and allow molecules to pass through at a certain speed. Protein detection methods are as varied as the separation methods: non-selective staining with Coomassie brilliant blue, amido black 10B, silver, fluorescent dyes, and selective by immunoprecipitation or enzyme electrophoresis. The evaluation of equine metabolism by electrophoresis extends to virtually all areas of study: establishing seasonal and age-related changes; analyzing breed, subpopulation and hybrid traits; evaluating markers of inflammation, certain pathologies such as ulceration, uveitis, parasitic and viral infections, myopathies, and markers of animal fitness. In animal reproduction, electrophoresis can be used to assess the quality of ejaculate, to determine the ability of semen to freeze, to detect the viability of spermatozoa, including after cryopreservation, and to detect changes during mare foaling. Conclusion.The electrophoresis method is widely used in the assessment of human and animal metabolism, including horses. It has a high degree of significance for the analysis of population, age-sex and seasonal differences in horses, and also finds its application in the assessment of animal performance and reproductive technologies.