Transcribing Globulins & Immunoglobulins

Globulin is one of the two types of serum proteins, the other being albumin. This generic term encompasses a heterogenous series of families of proteins, with larger molecules and less soluble in pure water than albumin, which migrate less than albumin during serum electrophoresis.

It is sometimes used synonymously with Globular protein. However, albumin is also a globular protein, but not a globulin. All other serum globular proteins are globulins.

Protein electrophoresis is used to categorize globulins into the following four categories:

• Alpha 1 globulins
• Alpha 2 globulins
• Beta globulins
• Gamma globulins (immunoglobulins)

Transcribing globulins:

• The Greek letters used with globulin should be transcribed in plain English and abbreviation should generally not be used. For example: beta globulin or b-globulin. Both are correct. Similarly, alpha globulin or a-globulin is also correct.
• If the globulin carries a numeral with it, it is transcribed after the translation for Greek word adjoined by a hyphen with the globulin following it. For example: beta-2 globulin, alpha-1 trypsinogen.

Immunoglobulins:
Immunoglobulins or Gamma globulins are a class of proteins in the blood, identified by their position after serum protein electrophoresis. The most significant gamma globulins are antibodies.

Globulins which act as antibodies are of five types Expressed as IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, IgM. Upper case I, lower case g, for immunoglobulin (Ig) followed by upper-cased alphabet A, D, E, G, or M. For example: IgA, IgM, IgE.