Small molecule imaging

Yang, M., James, A., Covey, T., and Kovarik, P. (2005). High-speed automated deposition of matrix onto tissue samples for small molecule imaging application using MALDI MS/MS. In Proceedings of the 53 rd ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, San Antonio, TX. 

Clench, M. Burrell, M. Trim, P.J. Earnshaw, C. Francese, S. Muharib, T. Anderson, D.M.G. Atkinson, S. Strategies for small molecule imaging by MALDI-MSI. Pmc. 56th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, Denver, CO, June 2008, WOG pm 2 50. 

Even without the use of additional reporters, small-molecule imaging provides a wealth of information that can inform and facilitate the triaging of potential lead candidates. Perhaps, the most critical information obtained from these microscopy studies is the subcellular localization (and therein cell permeability) and biodistribution of the small molecule additionally, the accumulated local concentration and half-life of the probe can be determined for in vivo models [28]. The use of a second reporter, that is, labeled antibody or fluorescent protein, can demonstrate target engagement within a biological environment... 

Of the many areas where NMR is applied these days, two can be considered as being established. The most important is certainly its use for structure elucidation, from small molecules up to medium-sized proteins in solution no university with an analytical lab can afford to be without a liquid-state, high-resolution NMR system. Most chemistry students will come into contact with NMR at least once during their courses. Second, is diagnostic medical imaging, which many of us may have experienced personally. From the first crude and blurred NMR images that were acquired over 30 years ago, incredible developments have been achieved by the efforts of researchers and industry alike. 

Over the last 10 years there has been a major initiative to bring HTS into the academic community. The NIH roadmap has a mission to build a better toolbox for medical research in the twenty-first century and to empower the research community to use small molecule compounds in their research, whether as tools to perturb genes and pathways, as imaging probes in basic or clinical applications, or as starting points to the development of new therapeutics for human disease. 

Chattopadhaya, S., Abu Bakar, F. B., Srinivasan, R. and Yao, S. Q. (2008). In vivo imaging of a bacterial cell division protein using a protease-assisted small-molecule labeling approach. Chembiochem 9, 677-80. 

II. Small-Molecule Metal-Based Probes and Their Biomedical Imaging... 

In the literature these studies are classified as imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) and defined as the investigation of the chemical profile of a sample surface with a submicron lateral resolution and chemical specificity. The main aim is to use the power of mass spectrometry techniques to create chemical images showing the distribution of compounds ranging in size from atomic ions and small molecules to large proteins. 

In this chapter a number of the recent applications of imaging of small molecules with the use of SIMS imaging will be presented. 

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