Title: Integrating ion mobility and imaging mass spectrometry for comprehensive analysis of biological tissues: A brief review and perspective.

Authors: Rivera, Emilio S; Djambazova, Katerina V; Neumann, Elizabeth K; Caprioli, Richard M; Spraggins, Jeffrey M

Published In J Mass Spectrom, (2020 Dec)

Abstract: Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) technologies are capable of mapping a wide array of biomolecules in diverse cellular and tissue environments. IMS has emerged as an essential tool for providing spatially targeted molecular information due to its high sensitivity, wide molecular coverage, and chemical specificity. One of the major challenges for mapping the complex cellular milieu is the presence of many isomers and isobars in these samples. This challenge is traditionally addressed using orthogonal liquid chromatography (LC)-based analysis, though, common approaches such as chromatography and electrophoresis are not able to be performed at timescales that are compatible with most imaging applications. Ion mobility offers rapid, gas-phase separations that are readily integrated with IMS workflows in order to provide additional data dimensionality that can improve signal-to-noise, dynamic range, and specificity. Here, we highlight recent examples of ion mobility coupled to IMS and highlight their importance to the field.

PubMed ID: 32955134

MeSH Terms: Animals; Humans; Ion Mobility Spectrometry/methods*; Kidney/chemistry; Kidney/diagnostic imaging; Lipids/analysis; Liver/chemistry; Liver/diagnostic imaging; Mass Spectrometry/methods*; Mice; Molecular Imaging/methods*; Proteins/analysis; Rats; Whole Body Imaging