Sampling and Sample Preparation for LC-MS-Based Metabonomics/Metabolomics of Samples of Mammalian Origin

Toward Merging Untargeted and Targeted Methods in Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics and Lipidomics

“…In order to maintain wide metabolite coverage in untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics discovery studies, biological samples are typically analyzed with minimal pretreatment. For this purpose, nonselective sample-pretreatment methods, such as solvent–protein precipitation (e.g., plasma/serum) and dilute-and-shoot (e.g., urine but also used for microbial high-throughput methods), are often used. , On the contrary, for hypothesis-driven targeted validation analyses, sample pretreatment includes solvent–protein precipitation, often followed by liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) and/or solid-phase extraction (SPE) for the selective isolation and enrichment of specific target metabolites and removal of interfering matrix components . These cleanup steps serve advancements in both selectivity and dynamic range; however, we will discuss if similar improvements in total separation and quantification capacity can be achieved by combination of novel techniques such as ion mobility and high-resolution, fast scanning mass spectrometers.…”