Imaging mass spectrometry: from tissue sections to cell cultures

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Analytical Chemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) has been utilized for over 15 years to study molecular distributions in biological tissues.
• Key advantages of IMS include a wide mass range, label-free multiplexed detection, and preservation of spatial information.
• Current IMS applications primarily focus on animal tissue sections and tumor biopsies.

Purpose of the Study:

• This review highlights recent advancements in IMS technology.
• It explores the emerging application of IMS to three-dimensional (3D) cell and tissue culture systems.
• The review discusses the future potential of IMS in 3D culture models.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent literature on IMS technology and its applications.
• Focus on the adaptation of IMS for 3D cell and tissue culture.
• Discussion of new tissue engineering and culture techniques.

Main Results:

• IMS offers label-free, multiplexed analysis with spatial resolution.
• 3D cell and tissue cultures provide increasingly accurate, high-throughput, and cost-effective in vivo models.
• Advancements in IMS technology are enabling its use with these complex 3D models.

Conclusions:

• The integration of IMS with 3D cell and tissue cultures represents a significant advancement in biological research.
• This approach enhances the recapitulation of in vivo cellular and tissue characteristics.
• Future applications promise more sophisticated and predictive models for drug discovery and disease understanding.