Size exclusion chromatography (SEC), also known as gel filtration, separates proteins based on their sizes (hydrodynamic radii) in solution and not by absolute molecular weight with larger sized species eluting before smaller proteins. The primary driving mechanism for this isocratic based technique is based on the pore size and volume of the SEC particles used in the packed column. SEC columns containing comparatively larger pore size particles are selected as the molecular weight of the proteins of interest increase.
Key Aspects to Consider: