On the molecular level biological (physiological) research is directed toward identification and quantification of compounds exerting biological (physiological) effects. The compounds involved may be both of low and high molecular mass; in the latter category it may be attempted to reveal structural changes caused under physiological or pathophysiological conditions (ageing, disease), which manifest themselves as functional changes. At this level of physiological study we may see an interactive link between analytical chemistry and physiology (it is possible to use the term "analytical physiology"). The work of this Department is aimed at connection of these areas and can be categorised as follows.

1. Instrumentation progress in the area of separation methods. 
2. Methodological progress and development of new separation methods applicable to the estimation of physiologically important compounds (capillary electrophoresis and HPLC/MS). 
3. Changes underlying the modified physiology of structural proteins (mainly connective tissue)

As is obvious from the above introduction all three areas are interconnected and it is not simple to categorise a particular problem to a particular area. The good analytical background (modern instrumentation such as capillary electrophoresis and HPLC/MS) of this department makes it possible to carry out analyses for other department of the institute. An example of good cooperation may be a the one with the Department of Epithelial Physiology.

Regarding the instrumentation area it is possible to mention development and construction of ultramicroanalytical systems chip analysis or development of an offline combination of synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy and capillary electrophoresis.

Considerable effort was dedicated to the development of new methods for the identification and quantification of physiologically important compounds. The most frequently studied compounds were steroids. A broad spectrum of analytical methods such as capillary electrophoresis in microemulsion and micellar modes (so called electrokinetic chromatography) with diode array detection and highperformance liquid chromatography joined with mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) were developed. These methods allowed us to detect corticosterone metabolites and offered further insight into steroid metabolism in animals (mammalian and avian intestine). This work was done in close collaboration with the Department of Epithelial Physiology.

Methods for the identification and quantification of a wide spectrum of other compounds were also developed: vitamins, pigments, dicarbonyl sugars, fatty acids, coenzyme A, amino acids, peptides and proteins. Preferably capillary electrophoretic techniques and HPLC/MS were used for this purpose. This was partly done in cooperation with other departments. For example, we identified and quantified a new pigment of the avian eggshell (zinccontaining protoporphyrin IX). Identification of the binding site of Na+/K+ATPase for pyrene isothiocyanate represents another example. New separation modes of electromigration techniques were also intensively studied  microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography and nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis.