Interfacing Droplets with Mass Spectrometry for Single-Cell Analysis

此应用程序解决RFA-GM-1-1009，特殊的，非常规的研究使知识加速（EUREKA）（R01）。任何生物系统的基本单位都是细胞，单细胞水平的故障可能导致毁灭性的疾病。因此，为了了解任何生物系统的生理和功能，实现单细胞分辨率的测量是很重要的。本提案旨在采用先进的质谱技术，当适当地结合新的液滴操作技术时，将使我们能够满足使用质谱分析具有高灵敏度和信息含量的单细胞内容的巨大挑战。具体来说，本项目的目的是：设计并构建一个具有合适接口的质谱仪，用于电离和分析液滴中单细胞的含量。该界面将是一个液滴纳米实验室平台，具有空气中液滴的光学捕获和定位，将用于实现单液滴含量的有效电离和质谱分析的离子传输。大气压化学电离（APCI）将用于分析单细胞的小分子（如代谢物和脂质）含量。MALDI将用于分析单细胞的肽和蛋白质含量。细胞是任何生物系统的基本单位；因此，要了解生物体的功能和故障，就必须在单细胞水平上进行测量。然而，单细胞的生化分析是极具挑战性的，因为样品的数量很少，而且样品的复杂性很高。在这个提议的项目中，我们的目标是通过推动质谱分析液滴中存在的微小但高浓度的单细胞衍生样品的灵敏度限制来解决这些挑战。

This application addresses RFA-GM-1-1009, Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration (EUREKA)(R01). The basic unit of any biological system is the cell, and malfunctions at the single-cell level can result in devastating diseases. To understand the physiology and functions of any biological system, therefore, it is important to achieve measurements with single-cell resolutions. This proposal aims to employ advanced mass spectrometric technologies which, when appropriately combined with new droplet manipulation techniques, will allow us to meet the tremendous challenge of analyzing the contents of single cells with high sensitivty and information content using mass spectrometry. Specifically, the aim of this project is: Design and construct a mass spectrometer with the appropriate interface for ionizing and analyzing the contents of single cells trapped in liquid droplets. The interface will be a droplet nanolab platform with the optical trapping and positioning of droplets in air, which will be used towards achieving the efficient ionization of single-droplet contents and ion transport for mass spectrometry analysis. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) will be used for the analysis of small-molecule (e.g. metabolites and lipids) contents of single cells. MALDI will be used for the analysis of peptide and protein contents of single cells. The cell is the basic unit of any biological system; to understand the functions and malfunctions of an organism will thus necessitate measurements at the single-cell level. Yet the biochemical analysis of single cells is highly challenging, owing to both the minute amounts of sample available as well as the high complexity of the sample. In this proposed project, we aim to tackle these challenges by pushing the limit of sensitivity of mass spectrometry for analyzing the minute but highly concentrated single-cell derived samples present in droplets. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The cell is the basic unit of any biological system; to understand the functions and malfunctions of an organism will thus necessitate measurements at the single-cell level. Yet the biochemical analysis of single cells is highly challenging, owing to both the minute amounts of sample available as well as the high complexity of the sample. In this proposed project, we aim to tackle these challenges by pushing the limit of sensitivity of mass spectrometry for analyzing the minute but highly concentrated single-cell derived samples present in droplets.