Taking a walk on the wild side with planar electrochromatography and thin-layer electrophoresis: Of peptides, proteins, and proteomics

Planar electrochromatography (PEC) and thin-layer electrophoresis (TLE) are examined for their potential application to peptide and protein analysis, employing one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) separations, which could potentially be useful for proteomics applications. The PEC and TLE literature are reviewed because the two methods are fundamentally similar in mechanical operations and performance. The application of TLE to peptide mapping is discussed and approaches to extending the technique to proteins and proteomics are offered. Much of the discussion is prognostic or hopefully predictive, attempting to ascertain how PEC might evolve in the coming years for peptide, protein, and ultimately proteomics applications.