Neuropeptides identification methods

As an instrumental approach to conventional electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis offers the capability of on-line detection, micropreparative operation and automation (6,8,45-47). In addition, the in tandem connection of capillary electrophoresis to other spectroscopy techniques, such as mass spectrometry, provides high information content on many components of the simple or complex peptide under study. For example, it has been possible to separate and characterize various dynorphins by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (33). Therefore, the combination of CE-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) provides a valuable analytical tool useful for the fast identification and structural characterization of peptides. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the use of atmospheric pressure ionization using Ion Spray Liquid Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry is well suited for CE/MS (48). This approach to CE/MS provides a very effective and straightforward method which allow the feasibility of obtaining CE/MS data for peptides from actual biological extracts, i.e., analysis of neuropeptides from equine cerebral spinal fluid (33). 

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