Mass spectrometry: m/z 1983-2008.

While definitely not a new technology, mass spectrometry (MS) has seen incredible growth over the past 25 years. Mass spectrometry has rapidly evolved to the forefront of analytical techniques; its ability to analyze proteins is the major driving force in the field of proteomics. MS instrumentation has increased approximately 5-fold in sensitivity every three years. The level of performance that is achievable with MS today allows scientists to study proteins in ways that were inconceivable a quarter century ago. This review of the history of MS over the past 25 years is timely in that it encompasses two of the biggest developments, electrospray and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), which have enabled many of the uses of this technology today.