Research　on　single-cell　proteomics　is　required　to　understand　precisely　the　growth　and　development　of　organisms　and　the　onset　and　progression　of　diseases.　However,　research　on　single-cell　proteomics　is　still　in　its　infancy　due　in　part　to　the　wide　variety,　low　abundance　and　small　amounts　of　proteins　in　single　cells.　Single-cell　proteomics　based　on　mass　spectrometry　(MS)　has　evolved　rapidly　over　the　last　two　decades　due　to　features　such　as　minimal　sample　requirements,　high　sensitivity,　rich　structural　information　and　the　need　not　to　use　antibodies　for　labeling　purposes.　Electrospray　ionization　mass　spectrometry　(ESI-MS)　offers　the　highest　protein　coverage　for　single-cell　proteomics.　However,　due　to　the　availability　of　various　pretreatment　methods,　separation　techniques　and　MS　instrumentation,　the　sample　throughput　and　coverage　of　single-cell　proteomic　technologies　can　vary　greatly.　In　attempting　to　highlight　the　recent　progress　made　in　the　life　sciences　field,　pertinent　publications　have　been　classified　according　to　the　different　methods　used　for　the　separation　of　single-cell　protein　samples.　The　performance　of　the　different　methods　in　terms　of　detection　coverage　and　throughput　are　introduced,　and　the　technologies　affording　major　breakthroughs　and　advances　are　highlighted.　The　applications　and　development　pros-pects　for　single-cell　proteomics　based　on　ESI-MS　are　elaborated.(c)　2023　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.