Mass spectrometry imaging of tissue sections using tagged antibodies

摘要

In the past ten years substantial effort has gone into adapting MALDI mass spectrometry for imaging of tissue sections (1,2,3). The technology has matured to a degree where in-situ tryptic digests are carried out by delivering enzyme solution directly to the tissue section followed by mass spectrometric detection of tryptic digest peptides (4). There still are a couple of major hurdles to be taken to make this method widely applicable. One is the development of methods that allow the analysis and quantification of low abundance proteins, a second is circumventing the problems associated with the application of matrix. More facile methods for even matrix deposition would be of great benefit. Here we present a method for multiplexed target protein imaging that does not require matrix.