Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry to Visualize Metals in Mouse Brain Tissue

Place a mouse brain tissue sample and standards in a laser ablation chamber.

The standards contain known concentrations of metals spiked into lamb brain tissue homogenates.

Fill the chamber with argon gas and focus an ultraviolet laser beam on the tissue.

The laser vaporizes the sample and standards in a linear pattern, creating an aerosol of fine particles.

Argon gas carries the particles into the inductively coupled plasma, a high-temperature ionization source.

The plasma atomizes and ionizes the particles into positively charged ions.

The ions enter the mass spectrometer and are separated based on their mass-to-charge ratios.

The resulting data are compared to a reference database to identify the metals present in the sample. From the standards, a calibration curve is generated.

Calculate the metal concentrations in the sample by calibrating its signal intensities against those of the standards, revealing the spatial distribution of metals within the brain slice.

First, place a brain tissue sample and all matrix matched tissue standards in the laser ablation chamber. Ensure that the samples are within the LACCD camera depth of field. Close the chamber door and finger tighten the screws.