Functional proteomics; current achievements.

This review presents the current improvements in functional proteomic strategies and their research applications. Proteomics has emerged as an indispensable methodology for large-scale and high-throughput protein analyses in the post-genome era. Functional proteomics, the comprehensive analysis of proteins with special attention to their functions, is a powerful and useful approach for investigations in the life and medical sciences. Various methods have been developed for this purpose, expanding the field further. This important technology will not only provide a wealth of information on proteins, but also contribute synergistically to the understanding of life with other systematic technologies such as gene chips.