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MALDI imaging

MALDI imaging is the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization as an mass spectrometry imaging^[1] technique in which the sample, often a thin tissue section, is moved in two dimensions while the mass spectrum is recorded.^[2]

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Applications

MALDI imaging mass spectrometry involves the visualization of the spatial distribution of proteins, drug candidate compounds and their metabolites, biomarkers or other chemicals within thin slices of sample such as animal tissue or plant.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] It is a promising tool for putative biomarker characterisation and drug development. Initially scientists take tissue slices mounted on microscope slides and apply a suitable MALDI matrix to the tissue. Next, the microscope slide is inserted into a MALDI mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer records the spatial distribution of molecular species such as peptides, proteins or small molecules. Suitable image processing software can be used to import data from the mass spectrometer to allow visualisation and comparison with the optical image of the sample.

References

^ McDonnell LA, Heeren RM (2007). "Imaging mass spectrometry". Mass spectrometry reviews 26 (4): 606-43. doi:10.1002/mas.20124. PMID 17471576.
^ Chaurand P, Norris JL, Cornett DS, Mobley JA, Caprioli RM (2006). "New developments in profiling and imaging of proteins from tissue sections by MALDI mass spectrometry". J. Proteome Res. 5 (11): 2889-900. doi:10.1021/pr060346u. PMID 17081040.
^ Caldwell RL, Caprioli RM (2005). "Tissue profiling by mass spectrometry: a review of methodology and applications". Mol. Cell Proteomics 4 (4): 394–401. doi:10.1074/mcp.R500006-MCP200. PMID 15677390.
^ Reyzer ML, Caprioli RM (2007). "MALDI-MS-based imaging of small molecules and proteins in tissues". Current opinion in chemical biology 11 (1): 29-35. doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2006.11.035. PMID 17185024.
^ Woods AS, Jackson SN (2006). "Brain tissue lipidomics: direct probing using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry". The AAPS journal 8 (2): E391-5. doi:10.1208/aapsj080244. PMID 16796390.
^ Stoeckli M, Staab D, Schweitzer A (2006). "Compound and metabolite distribution measured by MALDI mass spectrometric imaging in whole-body tissue sections". International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 260 (2-3): 195-202. doi:10.1016/j.ijms.2006.10.007.