In biochemistry, the metallome is the distribution of metal ions in a cellular compartment. The term was coined in analogy with proteome as[1] metallomics is the study of metallome: the "comprehensive analysis of the entirety of metal and metalloid species within a cell or tissue type".[2] Therefore, metallomics can be considered a branch of metabolomics,[citation needed] even though the metals are not typically considered as metabolites.
An alternative definition of "metallomes" as metalloproteins or any other metal-containing biomolecules, and "metallomics" as a study of such biomolecules.[3]