Mass spectrometry based targeted protein quantification: methods and applications.

The recent advance in technology for mass spectrometry-based targeted protein quantification has opened new avenues for a broad range of proteomic applications in clinical research. The major breakthroughs are highlighted by the capability of using a "universal" approach to perform quantitative assays for a wide spectrum of proteins with minimum restrictions and the ease of assembling multiplex detections in a single measurement. The quantitative approach relies on the use of synthetic stable isotope labeled peptides or proteins, which precisely mimic their endogenous counterparts and act as internal standards to quantify the corresponding candidate proteins. This report reviews recently developed platform technologies for emerging applications of clinical proteomics and biomarker development.