Microfocused Nanoparticulate ions to enable intracellular molecular imaging.

描述（由申请人提供）：在单个细胞的体积内，行大量的信息。目前使用质谱法进行分子成像的范围通常是用有机酸基质淹没细胞体积，以获得可观察到的信号。问题就在这里。放置更多的基质（即细胞体积）固有地使通过有机酸进行细胞内成像变得不可能。因此，Ionwerks开发了一套全面的仪器和纳米颗粒制备技术，将二维离子迁移率质谱法和纳米颗粒组织制备相结合，为组织分析提供了一种方法，同时保留了组织的组织学属性。我们的研究表明，亚单层纳米颗粒植入组织的不同深度，可以提供合适的信号水平。这意味着，颗粒与分析物的比例比典型的制剂要小得多：化学信息被保存下来并可观察到。纳米颗粒也将被微聚焦，以允许独特的分子二次离子质谱（SIMS）。此外，我们正在开发小型oTOF质谱检测器，它可以与前沿表面成像技术相结合，创建一个独特的成像平台，可以对表面/组织进行形态学成像，并记录喷射离子的质谱。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Within the volume of a single cell, lines an extensive amount of information. The current scope of molecular imaging using mass spectrometry typically swamps the cell volume with organic acid matrix just to get observable signals. Herein lies the problem. Putting more matrix that there is analyte (i.e. cellular volume) inherently makes intracellular imaging via organic acids improbable. Therefore, Ionwerks has developed a comprehensive set of instrumentation, and nanoparticulate preparation techniques which combine two dimensional ion-mobility mass spectrometry and nanoparticulate tissue preparation which provide a means to analysis of tissues while preserving their histological attributes. Our research has demonstrated that sub-monolayers of nanoparticulates implanted into various depths within a tissue, provide agreeable signal levels. This means, the particulate to analyte ratio is much less that typical preparations: the chemical information is preserved and observable. The nanoparticulates will also be microfocused to allow for unique molecular secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Furthermore, we are developing small format oTOF MS detectors which can be combined with leading edge surface imaging techniques to create a one of a kind imaging platform from which surfaces / tissues can be morphologically imaged, and mass spectra of ejected ions can be recorded. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of this project is implant histological prepared tissues with gold nanoparticulates, then to measure the ejected ions using a low profile oTOF-MS system from a microfocused nanoparticulate beam. This project will lay the groundwork for utilizing the helium ion-beam microprobe systems as a combined topographical imaging system, as well as molecular imaging systems.