Analysis of the citric acid cycle intermediates using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Researchers view analysis of the citric acid cycle (CAC) intermediates as a metabolomic approach to identifying unexpected correlations between apparently related and unrelated pathways of metabolism. Relationships of the CAC intermediates, as measured by their concentrations and relative ratios, offer useful information to understanding interrelationships between the CAC and metabolic pathways under various physiological and pathological conditions. This chapter presents a relatively simple method that is sensitive for simultaneously measuring concentrations of CAC intermediates (relative and absolute) and other related intermediates of energy metabolism using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.