Differential Mobility Separation (DMS) resolves multiple lipid classes within complex lipid matrices prior to MS analysis to enable more confident identification of lipid species and more accurate quantitation by MS/MS.

Lipidomics research has progressed rapidly in the last decade. Twenty years ago, the determination of the lipid composition of a biological sample required slow and extensive multi-dimensional chromatographic separation and chemical derivatization strategies. Today, in-depth analysis can be performed quickly using high throughput analysis by mass spectrometry.

Advances in mass spectrometry have enabled in-depth lipidomic analyses with unparalleled qualitative and quantitative sensitivity. However, unambiguous identification and quantitation of lipid molecular species in total lipid extracts has proven to be difficult, primarily due to isobaric overlapping isobaric and isomeric species. There are greater than 100,000 lipid molecular species present in a typical biological lipid extract that occupy a narrow mass range (~400-1100 amu), making such overlap a significant problem.

SelexION Technology represents the next technological advance and is uniquely suited for lipidomic research. Using Differential Mobility Separation (DMS) as an upfront orthogonal separation enables the resolution of complex lipid mixtures, effectively addressing the problem of isobaric interferences among different lipid classes and sub-classes.

Key Features of SelexION Technology for Lipid Analysis

SelexION Technology is a planar differential mobility device that separates analytes based on differences in their chemical properties, prior to entering the instrument orifice, thus providing an orthogonal level of selectivity.

• Differential charge site topography makes phospholipids ideal candidates for differential mobility separation with SelexION Technology
• Ability to use chemical modifiers with SelexION Technology allows lipid classes and subclasses to be resolved
• Separation of isobaric and isomeric lipid compounds clarifies lipid identification and improves relative quantitation

Read our technical paper to see how we effectively resolves multiple lipid classes from complex mixtures prior to analysis by mass spectrometry. By removing isobaric and isomeric interferences, lipid analysis by QTRAP systems using SelexION Technology enables more confident identification of lipid molecular species and provides for more accurate relative quantitation by MS/MS.