Single-Cell and Subcellular Analysis Using Ultrahigh Resolution 21 T MALDI FTICR Mass Spectrometry

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Lipidomics
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• The mammalian brain has a complex lipidome crucial for cell structure and function.
• Cellular lipid profiles change with signals and environment, altering cell phenotype.
• Analyzing individual cell lipidomics is challenging due to sample limitations and lipid diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To perform chemical characterization of individual hippocampal cells at ultrahigh mass resolution.
• To demonstrate the capability of high-field Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry for single-cell lipid analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 21 T FTICR mass spectrometer for ultrahigh mass resolution analysis.
• Applied mass spectrometry (MS) to analyze lipids from individual hippocampal cells.
• Differentiated between freshly isolated and cultured hippocampal cell populations.

Main Results:

• Achieved accurate lipid profiling of individual mammalian cells.
• Identified distinct lipid profiles between cell bodies (soma) and neuronal processes.
• Detected specific lipids like TG 42:2 in cell bodies and SM 34:1;O2 in cellular processes.

Conclusions:

• This work is the first to analyze mammalian single cells at ultrahigh mass resolution using FTICR-MS.
• Ultrahigh resolution MS significantly advances the performance and potential of single-cell lipid research.
• The findings highlight the spatial heterogeneity of lipid distribution within single neurons.