Evaluation of serum protein electrophoresis in greater rhea (Rhea americana Linnaeus, 1758).

Serum proteins from 47 healthy greater rheas (Rhea americana; male and female) were separated by electrophoresis in order to characterize normal reference ranges. Determination of total protein concentration was performed through biuret reaction. The mean value of total serum protein was 4.4 g/dL. Absolute concentrations of serum proteins were determined by agarose gel electrophoretic fractioning. Five fractions were analyzed: albumin, alpha, beta1, beta2, and gamma globulins, and the average values in grams per deciliter were 2.39, 0.32, 0.45, 0.30, and 0.79, respectively.