Abstract: A slab gel cassette for slab electrophoresis with a side opening or slot for the bottom edge of the gel is improved by directing the foot of the gel space (i.e., the lower edge of the space that turns toward the side opening) at an obtuse angle (greater than 120.degree.) relative to the remainder of the slab rather than the 90.degree. angle of the prior art. The gel can be flattened for drying without cutting off the foot. A further improvement is the placement of notches in the side edges of the cassette opposite the ends of the slot, and a still further improvement is the placement of additional notches in the ends of the slot itself opposite the aforementioned notches.

Abstract: The loading of samples into wells that are formed in a vertical slab gel is facilitated by a needle guide that provides expanded openings that taper toward the wells, the openings being separated by partitions that help the user distinguish between the wells and the barriers of transparent gel material between the wells.

Abstract: Slab gels in parallel plate gel enclosures are readily placed in an electrophoresis cell where they are in full contact with upper and lower electrode buffers and reliably sealed against leakage with relatively few manual manipulations. The gel enclosures are pressed against an inner frame to form an upper buffer chamber, and the inner frame is inserted in an outer clamping frame in which the pressure between the gel enclosures and the inner frame is maintained by a cam-operated pressure plate. The clamping frame is then placed in a tank serving as the lower buffer chamber.