Review of methods for determination of total protein and peptide concentration in biological samples

Clinical proteomics can be defined as the use of proteomic technologies to identify and measure biomarkers in fluids and tissues. The current work is intended to review various methods used for the determination of the total concentration of protein or peptide in fluids and tissues and the application of such methods to clinical proteomics. Specifically, this article considers the approaches to the measurement of total protein concentration, not the measurement of the concentration of a specific protein or group of proteins in a larger mixture of proteins. The necessity of understanding various concepts such as fit-for-use, quality-by-design, and other regulatory elements is discussed, as is the significance of using suitable standards for the protein quality of various samples.