This technique uses a discontinuous buffer. A
cathode is located in the upper chamber, and the anode is located in the lower chamber.
The electrodes present in each compartment provide the required electric field.
A thin layer of gel is poured between the two mounted glass plates. Therefore,
the upper part of the gel is immersed in the upper chamber, and the lower part
of the gel is immersed in the lower chamber.
In vertical gel electrophoresis, the buffer only
flows through the gel. Acrylamide gel can be used as the compartments are not
exposed to atmospheric oxygen. Due to the smaller pore size of the acrylamide
gel, precise separation can be achieved with higher resolution.