Single-cell ICP-MS to address the role of trace elements at a cellular level

Author(s)

Silva, Ana Beatriz Santos da ; Arruda, Marco Aurelio Zezzi

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY; v. 75, p. 15-pg., 2023-01-01.

Abstract

The heterogeneity properties shown by cells or unicellular organisms have led to the development of analytical methods at the single-cell level. In this sense, considering the importance of trace elements in these biological systems, the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) configured for analyzing single cell has presented a high potential to assess the evaluation of elements in cells. Moreover, advances in instrumentation, such as coupling laser ablation to the tandem configuration (ICP-MS/MS), or alternative mass analyzers (ICPSFMS and ICP-TOFMS), brought significant benefits, including sensitivity improvement, high-resolution imaging, and the cell fingerprint. From this perspective, the single-cell ICP-MS has been widely reported in studies involving many fields, from oncology to environmental research. Hence, it has contributed to finding important results, such as elucidating nanoparticle toxicity at the cellular level and vaccine development. Therefore, in this review, the theory of single-cell ICP-MS analysis is explored, and the applications in this field are pointed out. In addition, the instrumentation advances for single-cell ICP-MS are addressed. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/25207-0 - Nanometallomics applied to soybean cultivation for studying the effects of metal-related nanoparticles
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/50867-3 - INCT 2014: National Institute of Science and Technology in Bioanalysis
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/06934-9 - Characterization and quantification of silver and silica nanoparticles applied in soybean cultivation by a single part/cell ICP-MS/MS: translocation and cell interaction studies
• Grantee: Ana Beatriz Santos da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 20/08543-7 - A speciomic toolkit to investigate fatty acid-mediated changes in plasma zinc speciation and their physiological effects
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/24445-8 - EMU granted in process 2018/25207-0: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program