High performance capillary electrophoresis as a powerful analytical tool of glycoconjugates

Glycoconjugates constitute an important family of macromolecules having a key role in several cellular events. Elucidation of the fine chemical structure of their carbohydrate components is necessary for a deeper understanding of their biological functions. Capillary electrophoresis is a recently developed analytical technique with promising applications in the field of carbohydrate analysis. Various modes of CE have been used for the resolution of carbohydrates. The absence of charge from neutral carbohydrates has been circumvented by ionization of their hydroxyl groups at high pH, complexation with charged agents like berate anions and chemical derivatization. Although the absence of chromophores or fluorophores hinders a sensitive detection by direct UV or fluorescence detectors, indirect detection is a good alternative offering satisfying limits of detection. Electrochemical detectors have also been introduced. Pre-column derivatization of carbohydrates with a wide range of specific chromophores and fluorophores has offered impressive sensitivity gains especially when laser-induced fluorescence detectors are used. In this review, the separation mechanisms of carbohydrates using various CE modes are summarized. The recent developments in detecting carbohydrates and selected applications are also presented.