The promise of gel-based proteomics

First described nearly 20 years before Marc Wilkins coined the term 'proteomics', two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DGE) is still in adolescence (as is the field of proteomics). It is well recognised that two dimensions are insufficient for deconvoluting the complexity of even the simplest of proteomes, and that 2DGE can only be part of more elaborate 'multidimensional' schemes. As upstream dimensions continue to be developed, the potential of 2DGE may be further realised. Although orthogonal electrophoresis is unrivalled in its ability to resolve the total protein constituency of cells, arraying the 1500 or so most abundant proteins becomes of diminishing importance. Similar to looking into the sun in an effort to see sunspots, candidate biomarkers of extremely low abundance are concealed amid the myriad of proteins of higher abundance. The procedural complexity and inability to automate 2DGE seems to be prohibitive to its use in the clinical laboratory, which is an unfortunate consequence as this is where the promise of proteomics must ultimately be fulfilled.