Proteomics analysis of human cerebrospinal fluid

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is secreted from several different central nervous system (CNS) structures, and any changes in the CSF composition will accurately reflect pathological processes. Proteomics offers a comprehensive bird's eye view to analyze CSF proteins at a systems level. This paper reviews the variety of analytical methods that have been used for proteomics analysis of CSF, including sample preparation, two-dimensional liquid and gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, and non-gel methods. The differentially expressed CSF proteins that have been identified by proteomics methods are discussed.