title: Breast cancer: when proteomics challenges biological complexity.
abstract: Proteomics is now entering into the field of biomedicine with declared hopes for the identification of new pathological markers and therapeutic targets. Current proteomic tools allow large-scale, high-throughput analyses for the detection, identification, and functional investigation of low-abundant proteins. However, the major limitation of proteomic investigations remains the complexity of biological structures and physiological processes, rendering the path of exploration of related pathologies paved with various difficulties and pitfalls. The case of breast cancer illustrates the major challenge facing modern proteomics and more generally post-genomics: to tackle the complexity of life.
authors.affiliation: UPRES-EA 1033, IFR-118 Proteomics, Post-translational Modifications, and Glycobiology, University of Sciences and Technologies, Lille, 59650 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France. hubert.hondermarck@univ-lille1.fr
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hondermarck
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000166:cytology; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006133:Growth Substances; D020543:Proteome