New MALDI-IMS service for visualizing tissue biochemistry

The Mass Spectrometry Unit has introduced a new matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) service with an ultra-high spatial resolution of 20 µm. This advanced technology allows for the mapping of the distribution of different classes of lipids, metabolites, and drugs directly on tissue sections without the need for stains or antibodies. 

Fresh-frozen tissue sectioned on a cryostat (10–12 µm) is the gold standard for MALDI-MSI, as it preserves biological molecules intact in their native state by avoiding chemical fixatives such as formalin. Placing these sections on Bruker’s IntelliSlides conductive slides maximizes the analytical sensitivity of the neofleX spectrometer, enabling the generation of high-resolution molecular and ion maps with maximum biological fidelity.
The system generates thermal or color gradient images that show the concentration and exact location of compounds in histological sections: 
1. Comprehensive Lipid Profiles and Maps (Spatial Lipidomics)
Images of phospholipids and sphingolipids: Precise mapping of molecular architecture in brain, liver, or tumor sections.
Images of free fatty acids and triglycerides: Allow for the precise delineation of healthy versus pathological areas based on their lipid signature.
2. Pharmacokinetics and Drug Distribution (Tissue Pharmacology)
Imaging of intact drugs and their metabolites: Frozen tissue retains xenobiotic compounds without them shifting or altering. The neofleX can map the exact penetration of a drug within tissue substructures (for example, crossing the blood-brain barrier). 
3. Spatial Metabolomics of Small Molecules
Imaging of endogenous metabolites: Mapping of low-molecular-weight molecules (such as ATP, glucose, lactate, or amino acids) involved in energy pathways