Mini-Review: Important Roles of Chromatography in the Quantitation of Biomarkers Using Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)

Due to the endogenous nature of biomarkers and many components similar to the target biomarkers present in the biological fluids, the analysis of biomarkers presents a series of added chromatographic challenges to bioanalytical scientists, ranging from poor sensitivity to inadequate selectivity. Optimization and application of an appropriate chromatographic condition played a critical role in those issue driven resolutions. In this mini-review paper, the author highlighted some of the practical solutions to overcome these chromatographic challenges using the relevant examples from author?s laboratory. Future direction on further enhancing chromatographic selectivity for biomarker analysis, a pivotal bioanalytical parameter of endogenous biomarkers which is unique to biomarker analysis (in contrast to typical bioanalysis of drugs and metabolites which are exogenous compounds), will also be discussed.