Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Applications of the Single-probe: Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Single Cell Analysis under Ambient Conditions
Published on: June 14, 2016
T-Probe: An Integrated Microscale Device for Online In Situ Single Cell Analysis and Metabolic Profiling Using Mass
Renmeng Liu1, Ning Pan1, Yanlin Zhu1
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Oklahoma , Norman , Oklahoma 73019 , United States.
Abstract:
The exploration of single cells reveals cell heterogeneity and biological principle of cellular metabolism. Although a number of mass spectrometry (MS) based single cell MS (SCMS) techniques have been dedicatedly developed with high efficiency and sensitivity, limitations still exist. In this work, we introduced a microscale multifunctional device, the T-probe, which integrates cellular contents extraction and immediate ionization, to implement online in situ SCMS analysis at ambient conditions with minimal sample preparation. With high sensitivity and reproducibility, the T-probe was employed for MS analysis of single HeLa cells under control and anticancer drug treatment conditions. Intracellular species and xenobiotic metabolites were detected, and changes of cellular metabolic profiles induced by drug treatment were measured. Combining SCMS experiments with statistical data analyses, including Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) and two-sample t-test, we provided biological insights into cellular metabolic response to drug treatment. Online MS/MS analysis was conducted at single cell level to identify species of interest, including endogenous metabolites and the drug compound. Using the T-probe SCMS technique combined with comprehensive data analyses, we provide an approach to understanding cellular metabolism and evaluate chemotherapies at the single cell level.
More Related Videos
07:55Integrated Cell Manipulation Platform Coupled with the Single-probe for Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Drugs and Metabolites in Single Suspension Cells
Published on: June 21, 2019
07:37An Integrated Raman Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry Platform to Study Single-Cell Drug Uptake, Metabolism, and Effects
Published on: January 9, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...
Mass Spectrometry: Overview
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect
Mass Spectrometry of Amines
Applications of Integration to Find Centers of Mass