Proteomic Identification and Label-Free Quantification of Proteins Implicated in Neurite and Spine Formation.

The molecular mechanisms underlying neurite formation include multiple crosstalk between pathways such as membrane trafficking, intracellular signaling, and actin cytoskeletal rearrangement. To study the proteins involved in such complex pathways, we present a detailed workflow of the sample preparation for mass spectrometry-based proteomics and data analysis. We have also included steps to perform label-free quantification of proteins that will help researchers quantify changes in the expression levels of key regulators of neuronal morphogenesis on a global scale.