We provide an overview of 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods and their applications as an established metabolic tool with an emphasis on the use of high-resolution 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy and 13C isotopomer analysis. Topics addressed include general properties of the 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy spectrum; different 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy acquisition protocols; determination of fractional 13C enrichment, kinetic, or steady state measurements of metabolic flux; 13C isotopomer analysis approaches; 13C(2H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy methodologies; and in vivo 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Some illustrative applications are described. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

This work was made possible by grants SAF 2001-2245, SAF 2004-03197 from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and FISss C03/08, G03/155, and C03/10 from the Institute of Health Carlos III to Sebastián Cerdán. Justesa Imagen S.A. provided a core grant supporting the LISMAR NMR Facility. Tiago B. Rodrigues was supported by a fellowship from Fundaçâo para a Ciência e Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência e Ensino Superior–Portugal.

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