Trends Biochem Sci 2017[Apr]; 42 (4): 274-84 PMID28196646show ga
Metabolomics generates a profile of small molecules that are derived from cellular metabolism and can directly reflect the outcome of complex networks of biochemical reactions, thus providing insights into multiple aspects of cellular physiology. Technological advances have enabled rapid and increasingly expansive data acquisition with samples as small as single cells; however substantial difficulties remain. In this primer, we provide an overview of metabolomics, especially mass spectrometry based metabolomics that uses liquid chromatography for separation, and discuss its utilities and limitations. We identify several areas at the frontier of metabolomics technology development. Our goal is to give the reader a sense of what might be accomplished when conducting a metabolomics experiment, now and in the near future.