The potential of electrophoretic sample pretreatment techniques and new instrumentation for bioanalysis, with a focus on peptidomics and metabolomics

Bioanalysis. 2013 Nov;5(22):2785-801. doi: 10.4155/bio.13.254.

Abstract

This Review highlights the potential of new electromigration-based sample pretreatment techniques for bioanalysis. Sample pretreatment is a challenging part of the analytical workflow, especially in the fields of peptidomics and metabolomics, where the analytes are very diverse, both in physicochemical properties and in endogenous concentration. Electromigration-based techniques have several strengths, such as fast selective analyte concentration and that complementary information on the content of a sample can be obtained when compared with more conventional (chromatography-based) techniques. In the past decade, various new electromigration-based sample pretreatment techniques have been developed, and importantly, new instrumental setups. In this Review, we provide an introduction on electromigration and its strengths. Then, selected examples of electromigration-based sample pretreatment techniques and instrumentation are discussed, namely free-flow electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, isotachophoresis, electrodialysis, electromembrane extraction and electroextraction. Finally, the promising perspectives of electromigration-based sample pretreatment techniques are outlined.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatography / instrumentation
  • Chromatography / methods
  • Electrophoresis / instrumentation
  • Electrophoresis / methods*
  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Isoelectric Focusing / instrumentation
  • Isoelectric Focusing / methods
  • Metabolomics / instrumentation
  • Metabolomics / methods*
  • Proteomics / instrumentation
  • Proteomics / methods*