Board-Game Gel Filtration and Affinity Chromatography

The gel filtration and affinity chromatography board game activity described here is a simulation of common chromatographic techniques. The game is suitable for use in a classroom or laboratory setting. This activity utilizes a paper grid, colored paper squares, and a die to demonstrate the principles of gel filtration and affinity chromatography. The paper grid acts as a stationary phase and colored paper squares represent molecules of the sample. To demonstrate the separation achieved using gel filtration chromatography, the colored paper squares are identified as different molecular weight molecules of the sample and their movement is controlled by the roll of a die. To show the separation achieved using affinity chromatography, the paper grid is designed to contain several marked squares that act as affinity ligands to which the molecules of interest (represented by one color of paper squares) bind. The roll of a die controls the movement of the molecules and can be utilized to demonstrate the effects of variables such as flow rate and diffusion on separations. This modification eliminates the need to purchase expensive biological reagents necessary for a first person laboratory demonstration of gel and affinity separations. The activity developed is a hands-on simulation that provides a visual representation of these separations.