The foundations and development of lipidomics.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Lipid metabolism's biological significance was long recognized but mechanistically challenging to study.
• Lack of sensitive technologies hindered the identification and quantification of lipid molecular species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a broad perspective on the foundations of lipidomics.
• To review enabling technological advances in the field.
• To predict future directions for lipidomics research.

Main Methods:

• Development of soft ionization methods (Electrospray Ionization, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization) in the 1980s.
• Advances in multistage fragmentation, mass accuracy, and resolution.
• Strategic approaches including direct infusion, chromatography, and derivatization.

Main Results:

• Soft ionization technologies enabled the identification and quantification of individual lipid molecular species.
• Technological progress fueled the early growth and expansion of lipidomics.
• Various analytical strategies facilitated access to low-abundance lipid species.

Conclusions:

• Lipidomics has evolved significantly due to technological innovation.
• The field is poised for continued exponential growth.
• Future directions will likely involve further refinement of analytical techniques and broader applications.