Challenges and possibilities for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of phosphate metabolites

Phosphate metabolites (PMs) are endogenous substances that contain phosphate groups, constituting over half of the small molecules in the body. They play crucial roles in various biological processes. However, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of PMs in biological matrices remains challenging. To elucidate the current status of detection methodologies, this review summarizes existing studies on the extraction and analysis of PMs. Emphasis is placed on the chemical derivatization-based mass spectrometry (CD-MS) strategy, with a detailed examination of the types of CD reagents and the reactive groups in PMs. Additionally, emerging methods potentially applicable to PM analysis are reviewed. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future perspectives in this field. This comprehensive review aims to enhance the understanding of PM analysis, thereby facilitating their exploration in health and disease contexts.