In The Lab - Protein Electrophoresis

Summary

In this insightful video, Andrew Chapman explores the role of proteins in diagnosing health conditions. Joined by experts from the University Health Network's (UHN) laboratory medicine program, they demonstrate the protein electrophoresis test, which uses electrical current to separate proteins in patient samples. This technique helps identify abnormal proteins, potentially indicating blood-related cancers or plasma cell disorders, and allows physicians to monitor treatment effectiveness by measuring protein levels over time.

Takeaways

• 🧬 Protein is present throughout the body and its levels can indicate health conditions.
• 🏥 The laboratory medicine program at Uhn is one of the largest in Canada, serving a significant number of patients.
• 🛌 The lab serves both inpatients and outpatients, with approximately 1,300 hospital beds and 400,000 outpatients annually.
• 📊 The lab performs around 25 million tests per year, providing a vast amount of diagnostic information.
• 🔬 The primary role of the lab is to offer diagnostic insights to healthcare professionals to aid in patient treatment.
• 🌐 The process of 'Protein Electrophoresis' is introduced, a test that uses electrical current to analyze protein charges in patient samples.
• 🚫 If abnormal proteins are detected, their size is measured to monitor changes over time, which can assist in diagnosis and treatment.
• 🔍 The lab uses a scanner to convert gel images into graphs, identifying normal and abnormal proteins for further analysis.
• 👩‍⚕️ Clinical biochemists, like Dr. Ivan Bagge, analyze the patterns in the test results to identify potential malignancies.
• 🩺 These tests are often ordered when physicians suspect blood-related cancers or plasma cell disorders in patients presenting certain symptoms.
• 🔗 The video encourages viewers to visit medlabprofessionals.com for more insights into the lab's operations and procedures.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The main focus of the video script is to explore the role of protein in the body and how protein tests, specifically protein electrophoresis, can be used for diagnostic purposes in a medical laboratory.

Who is Andrew Chapman and what is his role in the video?

Andrew Chapman is the presenter in the video, who introduces the topic of protein's significance in the body and guides the viewer through the process of protein testing in a laboratory setting.

What is the significance of protein in the human body as discussed in the video?

Protein is significant in the human body as it is present throughout and can indicate various health conditions depending on its quantity and quality. Abnormal proteins can be indicative of certain diseases.

Who is Tom Clancy and what is his role in the laboratory?

Tom Clancy is the director of operations for the laboratory medicine program at UHN (University Health Network). He discusses the scale of the laboratory's operations and its role in patient care.

How many patients does the UHN laboratory medicine program serve annually?

The UHN laboratory medicine program serves approximately 400,000 outpatients per year, with a total test volume of about 25 million tests.

What is the primary role of the laboratory in patient care according to Tom Clancy?

The primary role of the laboratory in patient care is to provide diagnostic information to physicians, nurses, and clinicians, enabling them to treat patients effectively based on the lab test results.

What is protein electrophoresis and how does it work?

Protein electrophoresis is a test that applies an electrical current to patient samples. Depending on the charge of their proteins, they will migrate towards either the positive or negative charge, allowing for the identification of abnormal proteins.

What happens if an abnormal protein is discovered during protein electrophoresis?

If an abnormal protein is discovered, its size is measured to monitor whether the protein levels are increasing or decreasing, which helps physicians in diagnosing and treating the patient accordingly.

Who is Megan and what is her role in the video?

Megan is a senior medical lab technologist who demonstrates the process of protein electrophoresis, explaining how the test is conducted and what the results indicate.

What is the next step after the samples have been electrically charged and stained in protein electrophoresis?

The next step is to place the stained gel into a scanner, which takes a picture of the patient samples. This picture is then converted into a graph to analyze the presence of normal or abnormal proteins.

Who is Dr. Ivan Bage and what is his role in analyzing the results of protein electrophoresis?

Dr. Ivan Bage is a clinical biochemist who is responsible for analyzing the patterns that appear on the graph resulting from the protein electrophoresis test, identifying any abnormalities that may indicate certain diseases.

Why would a physician order a protein electrophoresis test?

A physician would order a protein electrophoresis test when they suspect a blood-based cancer or plasma cell dyscrasia in a patient, especially if the patient presents symptoms like bone pain or fractures.

Outlines

00:00

🧬 Protein Testing in the Lab

In this video script, Andrew Chapman introduces the importance of protein in the human body and how its levels can indicate various health conditions. He is joined by Tom Clancy, the director of operations for the laboratory medicine program at Uhn, who explains that their lab serves a significant number of patients both in and out of the hospital, conducting about 25 million tests annually. The lab's primary role is to provide diagnostic information through lab testing to help physicians and clinicians treat patients. The script also covers a specific test called 'protein electris', which involves applying an electrical current to patient samples to detect abnormal proteins. Megan, a senior medical lab technologist, explains the process of the test, which includes staining the gel and scanning it to identify normal and abnormal proteins. Dr. Ivan Bage, a clinical biochemist, discusses how the results are analyzed to identify patterns indicative of certain blood-based cancers or plasma cell disorders. The video concludes with an invitation to visit medlabprofessionals.com for more information.

Keywords

💡Protein

Protein is a macromolecule that is essential for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs. In the video, protein is highlighted as a key indicator of health, as its presence and quantity in the body can reveal important information about a patient's condition. The video discusses how proteins can be analyzed to detect abnormalities, which may be indicative of certain diseases.

💡Lab Medicine Program

The Lab Medicine Program at Uhn is a significant part of the hospital's diagnostic capabilities. It serves a large number of patients both inpatient and outpatient, conducting millions of tests annually. The program's role is crucial in providing diagnostic information to physicians and clinicians, which aids in patient care and treatment decisions.

💡Electrophoresis

Electrophoresis is a technique used in laboratories to separate proteins based on their size and charge. In the video, 'protein electris' is mentioned, which seems to be a reference to this method. The process involves applying an electrical current to protein samples, causing them to migrate towards a charge, thereby revealing their properties and any abnormalities.

💡Abnormal Protein

An abnormal protein refers to a protein that is not present in the expected quantity or form in a patient's body. In the video, the detection of such proteins is a key focus, as they can be indicative of underlying health issues. The lab technicians look for these proteins to help diagnose and monitor diseases such as blood-based cancers.

💡Diagnostic Information

Diagnostic information is the data derived from medical tests that helps in identifying diseases or health conditions. In the context of the video, the lab medicine program provides this crucial information to healthcare providers, enabling them to make informed decisions about patient treatment. The analysis of proteins is a significant part of this diagnostic process.

💡Medical Lab Technologist

A Medical Lab Technologist, like Megan mentioned in the video, is a healthcare professional who performs laboratory tests and analyzes results to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Their role is pivotal in the lab medicine program, conducting tests like protein electrophoresis and interpreting the outcomes.

💡Clinical Biochemist

A Clinical Biochemist, such as Dr. Ivan Bage in the video, is a specialist who applies the principles of biochemistry to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases. They analyze the results of tests like protein electrophoresis to identify patterns that may indicate specific health conditions, contributing to the overall diagnostic process.

💡Malignancy

Malignancy refers to a type of cancer that can spread to other parts of the body. In the video, it is mentioned that certain tests, like protein electrophoresis, are ordered when physicians suspect a blood-based cancer or plasma cell dyscrasia. The detection of abnormal proteins can be a crucial step in identifying such malignancies.

💡Plasma Cell Dyscrasia

Plasma cell dyscrasia is a group of disorders characterized by the abnormal proliferation of plasma cells, which can lead to various symptoms like bone pain and fractures. The video discusses how protein electrophoresis can help identify such conditions by revealing abnormal protein patterns in the blood.

💡Patient Samples

Patient samples are biological materials collected from patients for diagnostic testing. In the video, protein electrophoresis is performed on patient samples to analyze their protein content. The process involves applying an electrical current to these samples, which helps in identifying any abnormalities in the protein composition.

💡Medlab Professionals

Medlab Professionals is mentioned in the video as a resource for more information about the lab medicine program and the work done in the lab. It seems to be a platform or website where viewers can learn more about the laboratory processes and the role they play in patient care.

Highlights

Protein is present throughout the body and can indicate health conditions based on its quantity.

Andrew Chapman and Tom Clancy discuss the role of the laboratory medicine program at Uhn.

The Uhn laboratory serves a large number of patients, both inpatient and outpatient, with a total test volume of about 25 million per year.

The primary role of the lab is to provide diagnostic information to healthcare professionals.

Megan, a senior medical lab technologist, introduces a test called protein electris.

Protein electris involves applying an electrical current to patient samples to detect abnormal proteins.

Abnormal proteins can be identified by their migration towards positive or negative charges.

Discovering an abnormal protein leads to measuring its size to monitor changes in the patient's condition.

Dr. Ivan Bage explains the process of analyzing protein patterns to identify abnormalities.

The test results are scanned and converted into a graph to visualize normal and abnormal proteins.

Abnormal protein tests are often ordered when a physician suspects a blood-based cancer or plasma cell disorder.

Patients with symptoms like bone pain or fractures might have an underlying malignancy detected through this test.

The protein electris test is crucial for identifying hidden malignancies in patients.

The laboratory medicine program at Uhn plays a vital role in patient care through diagnostic testing.

The lab's focus includes both inpatient and outpatient services, emphasizing the breadth of their impact.

The test's ability to detect abnormalities contributes to early diagnosis and treatment of serious conditions.

For more information on the lab's work and similar videos, viewers are directed to medlabprofessionals.com.

Transcripts

most of you have probably heard about

protein but did you know that protein is

throughout your body and can tell a

story depending on how much or little is

found we can learn a lot from protein

I'm Andrew Chapman and today we're going

to take a very very close look at what

your body is trying to say here in the

lab

[Applause]

[Music]

I'm in the lab with Tom Clancy the

director of operations for the

laboratory medicine program at Uhn

welcome Tom thank you thanks for having

us thank you now how many patients does

the laboratory of medicine program at

Uhn serve every year well the the lab

medicine program at Uhn is probably one

of the larger Laboratories within Canada

um as with most hospitals you service

two different types of patients you

service in patients or patients within

the hospital we have about 1,300 beds

here which uh constantly are being

turned over with patients and then we

have a big big focus on Clinic patients

but they're out outpatients which we

serve about 400,000 per year and our

total test volume going through all of

our Laboratories is about 25 million per

year wow that's amazing and what's the

lab's role in patient care so although

we do a lot of testing I think our main

role is providing diagnostic information

to Physicians nurses and and clinicians

so that they're able to treat patients

so I think we provide um mostly the

information through the lab testing that

we do I'm here with Megan who's the

senior medical lab technologist here in

the lab and today we're going to do a

pretty interesting test right yes we are

what's the name of this test it's called

protein electris okay and what are we

looking for in this test so what we're

going to do is we're going to apply an

electrical current to the protein to the

patient samples and depending on the

charge of their proteins they will

either migrate to the positive charge or

to the negative charge and from that we

can see if there's a abnormal protein or

if everything is normal and then what

happens if you discover an abnormal

protein if we discover an abnormal

protein what we'll do is we'll we'll

measure the size of the protein and that

way the physician they can monitor if

the abnormal protein is either

increasing or decreasing ining hopefully

decreasing and then that way they can

properly diagnose the patient and treat

them yes exactly all right Megan so

we've electrically charged the samples

yep put them on the gel now what happens

so now after we've stained the gel what

we're going to do is we're going to put

this gel into the scanner that's going

to take a picture of all of these

patient samples and that picture will

then be converted into a graph where we

can look to see if there's normal

proteins abnormal proteins

and if there are abnormal proteins we

can measure them I'm here with Dr Ivan

bage who's a clinical biochemist and

he's pretty much the next chain in

command after we take a look at the

results of all the abnormal proteins

right you analyze them yes indeed how do

you do that so generally we're looking

for the pattern that shows up so I think

Megan explained that the selector freees

will show all the proteins that are

present in the patient's serum or the

person's serum who's been run and then

we look at the pattern to see if there's

an abnormality present so why would a

test like this be ordered in the first

place so generally these tests are

ordered when the physician sees a

patient and they suspect a certain

blood-based cancer disease or plasma

cell disg graia as they're known in a

patient so patients that may present

with certain symptoms like uh bone pains

or fractures can have this malignancy

it's Myoma and various other ones as an

underlying cause so this test really is

the way to identify whether there is

malignancy hidden in these patients well

thank you doctor and thank you to the

laboratory and medicine program at Uhn

and if you want to see more videos like

this and to find out more of what goes

on in the lab please visit medlab

professionals.com

[Music]