I have not heard of separating lipids by electrophoresis. TLC and HPLC are more commonly used. I have heard of capillary electrophoresis but it sounds like you are trying to separate lipids by gel electrophoresis.

Are these synthetic lipids or lipids from cells/tissues? How are you preparing the lipids for electrophoresis? What is your solvent?

Try

1. pre-stain lipids ( lipoproteins) with sudan black

2. charge different samples and controls in corresponding wells

3. put the gel in the electrophoretic chamber

Have you tried Nile Red?

Hi! I am wondering too if lipids could be separated by gel electrophoresis. However, once you are working with lipoproteins, protocols used in the article titled "In vivo interactions of apoA-II, apoA-I, and hepatic lipase contributing to HDL structure and antiatherogenic functions" may be useful. It can be downloaded from http://www.jlr.org/content/42/4/563.long. I hope this may be useful.

Http://www.cyberlipid.org/fraction/frac0010.htm

No, I haven't tried Nile Red. I'm gonna try :)

Yes, lipoproteins can be separated by gel electrophoresis, when you use non-denaturating conditions, without SDS.

Hi Michael,

long way to a good protocol:) Stay with Sudan black! Attached an old lit:

http://www.jlr.org/content/42/8/1331.full

Nice weekend n

Michael: Lipoproteins can being separated by agarose gel by electric charges, or policryalamide gel by size exclusion and electric charge, by Cappillary electroforesis which is used for certain lipoproteins, by HPLC . See several articles in my profile for HPLC , PAA and others to separate and measurement cholesterol in Small, dense LDL.. Avoid SDS in buffer. Regina Wikinski

Nile red tend to be influenced by the polarity of the lipid environment.

Or you can try Oil Red O.

Does any of the dyes mentioned have differential affinity towards any polar or non polar part of lipid? And which is most sensitivity and what is the minimum lipids required for detection for PAGE( or agarose gel ??)

Hai , iam from india .couurently working in lipids metabolisam , i facing technical problam to study lipids in gel . If possible please provide to me protocol to run gel .thank you by athi.

Anyone have experience running HPLC on "Oil red O"?