biostudies-literatureCruz Villarreal JNIA NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIH HHS3945-3958https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9188328biostudies-literatureUnknown414(13)Understanding cell-to-cell variation at the molecular level provides relevant information about biological phenomena and is critical for clinical and biological research. Proteins carry important information not available from single-cell genomics and transcriptomics studies; however, due to the minute amount of proteins in single cells and the complexity of the proteome, quantitative protein analysis at the single-cell level remains challenging. Here, we report an integrated microfluidic platform in tandem with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for the detection and quantification of targeted proteins from small cell ensembles (> 10 cells). All necessary steps for the assay are integrated on-chip including cell lysis, protein immunAnalytical and bioanalytical chemistryMIMAS: microfluidic platform in tandem with MALDI mass spectrometry for protein quantification from small cell ensembles.PMC9188328R21 AG067488R21AG067488Ros ASandrin TREgatz-Gomez AColeman PDCruz Villarreal JKruithoff RRos RfalseMIMAS: microfluidic platform in tandem with MALDI mass spectrometry for protein quantification from small cell ensembles.Understanding cell-to-cell variation at the molecular level provides relevant information about biological phenomena and is critical for clinical and biological research. Proteins carry important information not available from single-cell genomics and transcriptomics studies; however, due to the minute amount of proteins in single cells and the complexity of the proteome, quantitative protein analysis at the single-cell level remains challenging. Here, we report an integrated microfluidic platform in tandem with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for the detection and quantification of targeted proteins from small cell ensembles (> 10 cells). All necessary steps for the assay are integrated on-chip including cell lysis, protein immun2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 May2025-04-28T07:09:51.244Z2025-04-06T19:17:08.021ZS-EPMC91883283538598310.1007/s00216-022-04038-y