DESI - MS Imaging for Biomedical Research

Molecular visualization and spatial distribution of compounds provide mechanistic insight

The spatial distribution of molecular species in a sample is crucial to gaining key insight into biological, chemical and physiological processes. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) with Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (DESI) produces label-free, multiplexed and objective measurement of molecular targets from complex surfaces. This direct-from-sample analytical technique provides researchers with the spatially resolved molecular information needed to quickly and objectively interpret molecular profiles and understand mechanistic insights with confidence.

DESI is a soft ionization technique performed under ambient environmental conditions and requires no sample preparation. This direct tissue analysis provides non-subjective information about biochemical distribution of molecules after just one measurement.

Key features of DESI Imaging Techniques

Ambient analysis technique to visualize the spatial localization and distribution of molecules
No sample preparation. Collect molecular information directly from tissue samples
Compatible with current histopathological workflows such as H&E Staining
Measure small molecule drugs, lipid and endogenous metabolites

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Overview

Literature

Application Notes

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Use of Discriminating Lipid Signature to Map Different Components of Breast Tumor

Application of Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) for Breast Tissue Imaging

MS Imaging (MSI) collects molecular information directly from tissue samples to better understand the mechanisms of disease, such as breast cancer. Here DESI imaging is used to map the spatially distributed lipid profile within breast tissue samples and to classify the different components of the tissue with high accuracy using their characteristic lipid profiles.

One of the advantages of DESI-MSI for tissue samples is minimal destruction of the sample, allowing for subsequent analyses on the same tissue section, such as additional imaging experiment or H&E staining.

Download the full app note here.

Ovarian Cancerous Tissue Identification by DESI-imaging for Clinical Research

DESI imaging distinguishes between several different tissue types in ovarian cancer samples during clinical research and can provide non-subjective information about biochemical distribution of molecules after a single measurement. DESI imaging enables robust tissue recognition and identification using tissue-specific molecular ion patterns, which has potential applications in cancer research and other research requiring spatially defined molecular information.

The non-subjective classification of tumor and tumor boundaries using DESI generated molecular ion information complement current histology based classification techniques to increase confidence and accuracy, while proving further insight into molecular mechanisms.

Download the full app note here.

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Ovarian Cancerous Tissue Identification by DESI-imaging for Clinical Research

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DESI Imaging Enables Visualization of Exogenous and Endogenous Molecules

DESI Imaging allows visualization of exogenous (dosed drugs and their metabolites) and endogenous molecules (metabolites and lipids) in a label-free and multiplexed approach.

In a cassette dosed DMPK experiment, spatial distribution of multiple drugs and their metabolites in different organs can be simultaneously visualized using a single DESI Imaging experiment. This information can be vital in knowing off-target effects and differential metabolism of compounds during early discovery work. Spatial information on endogenous compounds is also captured in the same experiment, which can provide mechanistic insight in the mode-of-action or help identify companion makers useful for the discovery and development process.

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High Throughput DESI Imaging for the Optimized Analysis of Biological Tissues

DESI Imaging have been optimized for the analysis of biological tissues, while providing high sensitivity measurements with fast scan rates for rapid analysis.

The increase in scan frequency, along with ion mobility separation, dramatically reduces image acquisition times, from several hours to tens of minutes, without significantly compromising data quality, making DESI a much more practical technique for routine lab analysis.

Download the full app note for details.

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