Metabolomics

Synonyms

Metabonomics

Definition

Metabolomics aims to characterize and quantify all low-molecular-mass metabolites found in an organism. It is one of many “omics” whole system approaches that have been introduced in the genomics era. Together with proteomics, transcriptomics, and genomics, metabolomics is considered an integral part of systems biology. Analysis of the metabolome provides a snapshot of the cellular phenotype under specific conditions including genetic modifications or developmental differentiation. Unique patterns of gene expression combined with environmental influences result in a specific metabolic profile for each organism. The terms “metabolomics” and “metabonomics” are often used interchangeably. While the former emphasizes attempts to analyze all small molecules in a complex biological sample, the main purpose of metabonomics is to investigate the metabolic changes that occur in response to biological or toxicological stimuli. Comprehensive and systematic...