Imaging of Lipids in Native Human Bone Sections Using TOF-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Atmospheric Pressure Scanning Microprobe Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry, and Orbitrap-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Anal Chem. 2018 Aug 7;90(15):8856-8864. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00892. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Abstract

A method is described for high-resolution label-free molecular imaging of human bone tissue. To preserve the lipid content and the heterogeneous structure of osseous tissue, 4 μm thick human bone sections were prepared via cryoembedding and tape-assisted cryosectioning, circumventing the application of organic solvents and a decalcification step. A protocol for comparative mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) on the same section was established for initial analysis with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) at a lateral resolution of 10 μm to <500 nm, followed by atmospheric pressure scanning microprobe matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (AP-SMALDI) Orbitrap MSI at a lateral resolution of 10 μm. This procedure ultimately enabled MSI of lipids, providing the lateral localization of major lipid classes such as glycero-, glycerophospho-, and sphingolipids. Additionally, the applicability of the recently emerged Orbitrap-TOF-SIMS hybrid system was exemplarily examined and compared to the before-mentioned MSI methods.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cryoultramicrotomy / methods
  • Femur Head / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Lipids / analysis*
  • Optical Imaging / methods
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Secondary Ion / methods*

Substances

  • Lipids