Introduction to Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization
SELDI is a technology that combines surface enhancement with classical MALDI to improve sensitivity and specificity in the detection of biomolecules. Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization was developed in the late 1990s and has contributed largely to biomarker development processes, diagnosis of diseases, and treatment monitoring. It has become an integral tool in clinical proteomics due to its ability to analyze proteins, peptides, and other biomolecules in complex mixtures with very little sample preparation. MaTestLab is one of the leading testing service providers in the USA and Canada. We have a large network of testing laboratories in the USA.
Principle and Methodology of SELDI
SELDI is a technique that allows for high laser desorption/ionization efficiency. This is possible through the selective binding of analytes to a modified surface from a complex sample matrix. The steps involved in the process include sample preparation, binding, laser desorption/ionization, mass spectrometry analysis, and data analysis. Biological samples can be either blood, urine, or tissue extracts, which are prepared and applied to the surface with prescribed chemical properties. The molecules are ionized and introduced to a mass spectrometer for analysis, which generates a spectral profile.
Instrumentation
The SELDI chip is a component of the laser analysis system and is derivatized with various chemical groups to define what types of analytes will bind to it. The bound analytes are desorbed and ionized by pulses of UV radiation. The parameters of this process can be changed for efficiency. A mass spectrometer analyzes the ionized molecules according to the time-of-flight technology to identify the m/z ratio. Thereafter, specialized software processes the mass spectra, identifies peaks, and conducts quantitative and qualitative analysis. Advanced bioinformatics tools are at liberty to interpret data and correlate this information with biological functions or even a disease state.
Applications of Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization (SELDI)
SELDI represents a potential platform for the discovery of biomarkers, diagnostics of diseases, therapeutic monitoring, research in proteomics, and drug development. The diseases associated with proteins that Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization helps identify range from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular conditions, among many others. It also helps in early diagnosis and, hence, tracking of the level of biomolecules over time for personalized treatment. Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization will also help in proteomics research to understand the molecular mechanisms and hence the drug targets.
