PNNL

Abstract

Application of proteomic biomarker discovery efforts towards human plasma entails both incredible clinical potential as well as significant challenges to overcome the intrinsic characteristics of plasma. The dynamic range of proteins within plasma, coupled with the likely presence of potential biomarkers in the more difficult to detect lower abundance range has driven the development of various methodologies and strategies to maximize the possible detective dynamic range within this biofluid. Discussed is the array of the available approaches currently used by our laboratory and others to utilized human plasma as a viable medium for biomarker discovery efforts. Various separation, depletion, enrichment, and quantitative efforts have resulted in a measurable improvement in the detectability of the low abundance fraction of proteins but more advances are needed to bridge the gap between the current range of detection and what remains unobservable to fully maximize the potential of this sample.