Pitfalls in lipid mass spectrometry of mammalian samples — a brief guide for biologists

Abstract

This Comment discusses erroneous reporting of mass spectrometry analyses of lipids in mammalian samples, and provides recommendations for how to avoid it. Publications that report mass spectrometry analyses of lipids often include lipid species that probably do not exist in the samples. Here we provide recommendations for scientists on submitting lipid data, and for reviewers, editors and readers on evaluating these data, to reduce the reporting of erroneous lipid species.