Characterization of salivary components separated by paper electrophoresis

Using a standardized procedure of paper electrophoresis, seven fractions were consistently separated from parotid saliva. These components were eluted from the paper strips and analysed chemically and immunochemically. Serum proteins (albumin, α, β and γ-globulins) comprised 25 per cent of the total. The specific salivary proteins included amylase, two non-antigenic glycoproteins, and an unidentified antigenic cationic protein. The two glycoproteins (accounting for 35 per cent of the total protein) were cationic, contained hexoses, fucose and hexosamine in a ratio of 1:1 and little if any sialic acid.