Lipidomics of the red cell in diagnosis of human disorders

Applications of tandem mass spectrometry in the field of lipid clinical chemistry are considered. Haemato-logical and biochemical advantages are presented favoring the choice of red blood cell membranes as a starting material in a wide variety of biomedical fields. Practical considerations are discussed with respect to methods of sampling, storage, and lipid extraction of red blood cells. The chapter describes the capabilities of a direct infusion of raw lipid extracts in the electro-spray ionization source compared with the more sophisticated method of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid tandem mass spectrometry. Both methods have been evaluated and have been shown to be suitable for diagnosis and/or monitoring for a variety of human disorders.