Capillary tube isotachophoresis of proteins in early postmortem serum, cerebrospinal fluid and pericardial fluid.

: Serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and pericardial fluid (PDF) obtained from 22 early cadavers were subjected to capillary tube isotachophoresis. Separated proteins were grouped into three main fractions, namely, Fr. 1, Fr. 2 and Fr. 3, in order of their decreasing effective (net) mobilities. The percentages of main fractions to total content were calculated by UV absorbance integration. It was found that Fr. 1 decreased and Fr. 2 increased in all three kinds of specimens with an increase in time following death. In serum and also in CSF, the degree of these changes between 6 and 58 hours following death seemed large enough (about 30%) to be used for crude estimations of early postmortem intervals. Changes in PDF proceeded more gradually than in serum and or in CSF, with only 5-20% changes during this period.