Metabolome analysis

Metabolomics was most recently introduced among the Omics to analyze low molecular weight compounds in different biological systems and fields of research. Metabolomics analysis can be categorized into two approaches, targeted and untargeted metabolomics. In targeted metabolomics, the metabolites selected for quantification are known a priori, as defined by the biological problem and may represent specific pathway or class of molecules. Untargeted metabolomics, on the other hand, is used to determine as many metabolites as possible and involves both metabolites quantification and their identification. The aim of this article is to review the steps in metabolomics analysis, starting with sample preparation through metabolite identification and data interpretation, and to discuss, as well, the applications of metabolomics in different fields.