The phloem is one of the conducting tissues of vascular plants, together with the xylem. The phloem mainly transports photosynthesis products, such as carbohydrates (especially sucrose), from the leaves — where they are produced via photosynthesis — towards other parts of the plant, such as stems, roots and fruits.

Targeted proteomics is focused on accurate and specific quantification of selected proteins, providing detailed information about specific components of a biological sample.