(541d) Joachim Kohn (1912-1987) and the Origin of Cellulose Acetate Zone Electrophoresis

Joachim Kohn (1912-1987) and the Origin of Cellulose Acetate Zone Electrophoresis
Richard M. Rocco, PhD Basic Sciences Department Samuel Merritt University Oakland, CA 94609
Fifty-eight years ago this month in November 1956 at the Biochemical Society Meeting in London Joachim Kohn described for the first time the use of cellulose acetate (CA) support medium for zone electrophoresis. CA rapidly replaced paper for protein electrophoresis. Compared to paper, CA provided shorter separation times; less protein tailing; increased number of serum protein bands and the ability to make the membranes transparent for densitometry. This short review will highlight Kohnâ??s contributions to electrophoresis over his thirty-year career in clinical laboratory medicine. He was the first to report on the use of CA for protein blotting; immunoelectroporesis and counter current electrophoresis. He described
CA methods for the separation of hemoglobin phenotypes, haptoglobins, nucleotides
and numerous isoenzymes. Kohnâ??s inventions included a novel electrophoresis chamber for CA membranes along with an 8-position stamp applicator. He died in
1987 with more than 50 publications. He never patented any of his discoveries or devices. In 1957 in his first major paper on this new CA electrophoresis technique he summarized his selfless commitment to the advancement of the biomedical sciences, â??I have no doubt that the greater experience and better facilities open to [others] will help in improving both the material and the technique.â?