Gel electrophoresis is a technique used to separate charged molecules like proteins and nucleic acids based on their size and charge. It involves placing the molecules in an agarose, starch or polyacrylamide gel and applying an electric current, causing the molecules to migrate through the gel at different rates. SDS-PAGE is a common type of gel electrophoresis where sodium dodecyl sulfate is used to denature proteins, allowing separation based on molecular weight. The separated molecules can then be visualized by staining techniques to analyze proteins, detect mutations, and more.