Volume 128, Issue 14 pp. 4558-4562
Zuschrift

Molecular Imaging of Biological Samples on Nanophotonic Laser Desorption Ionization Platforms

Sylwia A. Stopka

Sylwia A. Stopka

Department of Chemistry, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052 USA

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Charles Rong

Charles Rong

Department of Chemistry, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052 USA

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Dr. Andrew R. Korte

Dr. Andrew R. Korte

Department of Chemistry, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052 USA

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Dr. Sridevi Yadavilli

Dr. Sridevi Yadavilli

Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 2001 USA

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Dr. Javad Nazarian

Dr. Javad Nazarian

Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, 2001 USA

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Dr. Trust T. Razunguzwa

Dr. Trust T. Razunguzwa

Protea Biosciences Inc., Morgantown, WV, 26505 USA

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Dr. Nicholas J. Morris

Dr. Nicholas J. Morris

Protea Biosciences Inc., Morgantown, WV, 26505 USA

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Prof. Akos Vertes

Corresponding Author

Prof. Akos Vertes

Department of Chemistry, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052 USA

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First published: 01 March 2016
Citations: 17

Abstract

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a comprehensive tool for the analysis of a wide range of biomolecules. The mainstream method for molecular MSI is matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, however, the presence of a matrix results in spectral interferences and the suppression of some analyte ions. Herein we demonstrate a new matrix-free MSI technique using nanophotonic ionization based on laser desorption ionization (LDI) from a highly uniform silicon nanopost array (NAPA). In mouse brain and kidney tissue sections, the distributions of over 80 putatively annotated molecular species are determined with 40 μm spatial resolution. Furthermore, NAPA-LDI-MS is used to selectively analyze metabolites and lipids from sparsely distributed algal cells and the lamellipodia of human hepatocytes. Our results open the door for matrix-free MSI of tissue sections and small cell populations by nanophotonic ionization.

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