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Lipid Diversity in Cells and Tissue Using Imaging SIMS.

Sanna Sämfors1,2, John S Fletcher1

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden;

Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry (Palo Alto, Calif.)
|March 28, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) enables high-resolution imaging of lipids in cells and tissues, overcoming challenges of traditional methods. This technique is now advancing biological research in areas like cancer and brain injury.

Keywords:
SIMScellsimaginglipidssecondary ion mass spectrometrytissue

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Lipids are crucial biomolecules with diverse cellular functions.
  • Studying lipids is challenging due to labeling difficulties and loss of spatial information during extraction.
  • Existing methods often lack specificity or perturb the natural lipid environment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the capabilities and challenges of imaging lipids in biological samples using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS).
  • To highlight the progression of SIMS from proof-of-principle studies to addressing significant biological questions.
  • To showcase the application of SIMS in understanding complex biological systems at a subcellular level.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) for high-resolution, surface-sensitive imaging.
  • Utilizing probe sizes <50 nm for subcellular scale analysis.
  • 3D imaging capabilities to reconstruct spatial lipid distribution.

Main Results:

  • SIMS offers exceptional specificity and spatial resolution for lipid analysis, overcoming extraction-induced information loss.
  • The technique provides high surface sensitivity and 3D imaging at the subcellular level.
  • Current applications demonstrate SIMS's utility beyond basic analysis.

Conclusions:

  • SIMS is a powerful tool for imaging diverse lipids in cells and tissues with subcellular resolution.
  • The technique is advancing biological research by enabling the study of lipid roles in complex diseases and systems.
  • Future applications of SIMS hold promise for deeper insights into lipid biology and pathology.