Superose is a trade name for a collection of
FPLC column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
s which are used in the automated separation of biological molecules. The different columns provided can separate a variety of
macromolecules, ranging from small peptides and
polysaccharide
Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with wa ...
s to DNA strands and entire viruses. The material inside the column is
agarose based, meaning that it consists of sugars that are
crosslinked to form a gel-like mass. The pores in this material have different sizes, and if a molecule is too big, it does not fit into the pores, meaning that it follows a shorter way to the end of the column.
The columns are placed in a holder, and a computerized pumping system pumps a watery solution, often a
buffer through the column. A special injection loop allows the injection of the desired sample.
[Andersson, T et al. Agarose-based media for high-resolution gel filtration of biopolymers. J. Chromatogr. 326, 33 (1985).]
See also
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Size exclusion
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Sepharose
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Sephadex
References
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Chromatography
Biochemistry
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