The working vocabulary
Less jargon. More understanding.
Twenty-four terms that make papers and analytical reports easier to read.
PeptideMechanismPreclinicalIn vitroIn vivoClinical researchHPLCChromatogramMass spectrometryLC-MSArea purityAssay / contentCertificate of analysisBatch / lotLyophilizedStabilityCounterionSequenceAnalogueEndpointControlReplicationSystematic reviewManufacturing origin
Peptide
A compound containing amino-acid residues joined through peptide bonds. Exact sequence and modifications determine the identity.
Mechanism
An explanation of how a measured effect may occur. A proposed pathway is not automatically an established causal explanation.
Preclinical
Research conducted before or outside a clinical evaluation, including cells, tissues and animal models. Model findings require context.
In vitro
An experiment performed outside a living organism, such as a cell or biochemical system.
In vivo
An experiment conducted in a living organism. The species and experimental conditions matter.
Clinical research
Research involving people under a defined study design; check population, comparator and measured outcomes.
HPLC
High-performance liquid chromatography: a method for separating components under specified conditions.
Chromatogram
A record of detector response over a chromatographic separation. Peaks require assignment and interpretation.
Mass spectrometry
Analysis of ions according to mass-to-charge behavior; interpretation depends on the instrument, method and references.
LC-MS
Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, combining separation and mass analysis.
Area purity
A reported fraction of integrated chromatographic signal under a method. It is not automatically mass content.
Assay / content
A measurement of the amount of a specified analyte, reported on a defined basis and in stated units.
Certificate of analysis
A document reporting specified test results for an identified sample or lot. Its scope depends on the actual tests.
Batch / lot
An identifier connecting material to a defined production or handling record. Matching identifiers do not authenticate a report alone.
Lyophilized
Freeze-dried material. The word describes processing, not a universal storage temperature or shelf life.
Stability
The extent to which specified attributes remain within criteria under defined conditions over time.
Counterion
An ion associated with a charged chemical species; supplied salt and counterion can affect material specification.
Sequence
The ordered amino-acid residues in a peptide, with terminal and other modifications specified separately.
Analogue
A related chemical entity with defined structural differences; related names do not guarantee identical behavior.
Endpoint
The outcome a study measures, such as a molecular signal or a functional observation.
Control
A reference condition used to interpret an experimental result. Its suitability depends on the question.
Replication
Repetition intended to test whether a finding holds under stated conditions.
Systematic review
A synthesis using explicit search and selection methods; a selected reading list is a different format.
Manufacturing origin
Where specified manufacturing steps occurred, distinct from business registration, testing or dispatch.