Lipid Imaging by Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry as a Tool to Address the Complexity of Ovarian Metabolism

摘要

Steroidogenic regions in ovaries can be chemically mapped by DESI-Imaging MS. The study of a small set of samples suggests that sub-regions of particular metabolic states can be investigated, as well as different reproductive stages (prepuberty and adult). Even though luteal and follicular phases are believed to be involved in conserved steroidal pathways, species specific chemical differences probably exist and could be related to mono- and poly-ovulatory mechanisms. DESI-MS Imaging allows comprehensive direct chemical mapping of ovarian physiology due to the fact that a large range of lipids are detected in a non-targeted fashion in native samples. Solvent combinations can be used to improve the ionization yield of steroidal compounds and to allow unambigous morphological and imunhistochemical matching with the chemical imaging (Eberlin et al., 2011,submitted).