Exploring the Assembly of an Organism using MALDI Imaging: A Systems Approach to Understanding Embryonic Development

摘要

These preliminary results demonstrate the possibility of using MALDI-MSI to obtain whole embryo molecular maps, with reasonable resolution. Although our studies of the leech embryo and adult are clearly at a very early stage, and much needs to be done to identify the molecules represented by each peak of interest in the mass spectra, it is already apparent that much can be learned by applying MSI to this kind of preparation. With this process, we can determine all m/s values that are expressed exclusively in the CNS and then ask whether some are more strongly expressed in some segments than others, or if some are expressed at different developmental stages, or whether some change expression levels as a result of specific perturbations.