Single cell versus large population analysis: cell variability in elemental intracellular concentration and...

Area of Science:

• Cellular Biology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Microscopy Techniques

Background:

• Traditional elemental quantification in cells uses population assays, potentially missing crucial information from rare cells.
• Subcellular elemental distribution and its variations within cell populations are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare elemental quantification in single cells versus cell populations.
• To investigate the utility of a novel single-cell elemental analysis approach.
• To focus on magnesium (Mg) quantification and its subcellular localization.

Main Methods:

• Combined X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for sub-micrometer scale single-cell elemental analysis.
• Comparison with a highly Mg-selective fluorescent chemosensor for population analysis.
• Elemental mapping of Mg and other light elements at the subcellular level.

Main Results:

• Single-cell analysis confirmed population-level differences in Mg content across three cell types.
• Identified rare cells with exceptionally high intracellular Mg content within one cell strain.
• Demonstrated that Mg subcellular localization correlates differently with oxygen in high-Mg cells compared to their 'sister' cells.

Conclusions:

• Single-cell elemental analysis provides a more detailed view than population assays, revealing rare cellular events.
• The combined XFM-AFM approach is effective for mapping light elements in whole cells at high resolution.
• Subcellular elemental correlations, such as Mg and oxygen, can vary significantly even within the same cell strain.