An overview is given of laser microprobe mass spectrometry (LMMS) in biology and biomedicine (1989-1993). The present instrumentation and its analytical features are surveyed. Applications are presented with special attention on human and animal tissue samples, as well as plant material. The capabilities of LMMS to study the element distribution in histological sections, to identify the chemical composition of inorganic inclusions and to generate structural information from organic compounds are evidenced.