Mass Spectrometry for Lipid Analyses

Abstract

The increasing recognition that lipids have important biological functions in signal transduction in addition to their structural role in cell membranes has stimulated tremendous activity in the field of lipid research. Their complex structures and the potent biological activity of many individual lipids has necessitated the development of highly specific and sensitive methodology for their analysis. Mass spectrometry (MS)‐based methodology has become the technique of choice because of its ability to conduct analyses on trace amounts of bioactive lipids. Gas chromatography (GC)‐MS was widely used for the early studies on lipid analysis, but the applicability was limited. Development of the new atmospheric pressure ionization (API) techniques and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) has significantly increased the range of lipids that can be analyzed by MS. Methodology based on these ionization techniques will continue to make an important contribution to lipid analysis for the foreseeable future.