Metal-Chelatable Porphyrinic Frameworks for Single-Cell Multiplexing with Mass Cytometry

Single-cell multiplexing is key to exploration of the heterogeneous cell populations in biological systems. Although the state-of-the-art mass cytometry (CyTOF) possesses high resolution and multiple dimensions, the lack of suitable marker materials prohibits fully exploiting the available CyTOF detection channels. Here we report a new design strategy for CyTOF markers using functionalized mesoporous porphyrinic frameworks (MPFs) as scaffolds for chelating metals that have been unachievable by conventional approaches. We developed surface modification for stably dispersing the MPF nanoparticles (<40 nm) during the metalation and antibody conjugation processes. Our markers exhibit higher sensitivity and comparable specificity compared with a polymer-based commercial benchmark. Compatibility with commercial markers during co-staining was also confirmed. Furthermore, our markers show promising performance for immunophenotyping and potential implementation in CyTOF systems.