High-resolution quantitative imaging of mammalian and bacterial cells using stable isotope mass spectrometry.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is an important tool for investigating isotopic composition in the chemical and materials sciences, but its use in biology has been limited by technical considerations. Multi-isotope imaging mass spectrometry (MIMS), which combines a new generation of SIMS instrument with sophisticated ion optics, labeling with stable isotopes, and quantitative image-analysis software, was developed to study biological materials.

Results

The new instrument allows the production of mass images of high lateral resolution (down to 33 nm), as well as the counting or imaging of several isotopes simultaneously. As MIMS can distinguish between ions of very similar mass, such as 12C15N- and 13C14N-, it enables the precise and reproducible measurement

SUBMITTER: Lechene C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1781526 | biostudies-literature | 2006

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature