Supply chain logistics - the role of the Golgi complex in extracellular matrix production and maintenance.

The biomechanical and biochemical properties of connective tissues are determined by the composition and quality of their extracellular matrix. This, in turn, is highly dependent on the function and organisation of the secretory pathway. The Golgi complex plays a vital role in directing matrix output by co-ordinating the post-translational modification and proteolytic processing of matrix components prior to their secretion.

Membrane trafficking in health and disease.

Membrane trafficking pathways are essential for the viability and growth of cells, and play a major role in the interaction of cells with their environment. In this At a Glance article and accompanying poster, we outline the major cellular trafficking pathways and discuss how defects in the function of the molecular machinery that mediates this transport lead to various diseases in humans. We also briefly discuss possible therapeutic approaches that may be used in the future treatment of trafficking-based disorders.

The Evolution of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry toward Ultra-High-Throughput Screening: 1536-Well Format and Beyond.

Mass spectrometry (MS) offers a label-free, direct-detection method, in contrast to fluorescent or colorimetric methodologies. Over recent years, solid-phase extraction-based techniques, such as the Agilent RapidFire system, have emerged that are capable of analyzing samples in <10 s. While dramatically faster than liquid chromatography-coupled MS, an analysis time of 8-10 s is still considered relatively slow for full-diversity high-throughput screening (HTS).