Biological Imaging with Medium‐Sensitive Bichromatic Flexible Fluorescent Dyes

A family of environment‐sensitive shape‐shifting molecules have been developed as flexible fluorescent (FlexFluor) dyes for biological imaging applications. These compounds feature a flexible bithiophene‐based fluorophore that gives rise to different emission colors in lipophilic or hydrophilic environments, as well as side groups that can be synthetically modified with ease. FlexFluor dyes are the first fluorescent dyes in which emission color can be used to indicate lipid/water environments. The behavior of these dyes in different solvents was studied, and used to simultaneously highlight lipid and water contents in adipose and brain tissues using optical fluorescence microscopy.     

Faster,More Reproducible DESI-MS for Biological Tissue Imaging

A new, more robust sprayer for desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry imaging is presented. The main source of variability in DESI is thought to be the uncontrolled variability of various geometric parameters of the sprayer, primarily the position of the solvent capillary, or more specifically, its positioning within the gas capillary or nozzle. If the solvent capillary is off-center, the sprayer becomes asymmetrical, making the geometry difficult to control and compromising reproducibility. If the stiffness, tip quality, and positioning of the capillary are improved, sprayer reproducibility can be improved by an order of magnitude. The quality of the improved sprayer and its potential for high spatial resolution imaging are demonstrated on human colorectal tissue samples by acquisition of images at pixel sizes of 100, 50, and 20 μm, which corresponds to a lateral resolution of 40–60 μm, similar to the best values published in the literature. The high sensitivity of the sprayer also allows combination with a fast scanning quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This provides up to 30 times faster DESI acquisition, reducing the overall acquisition time for a 10 mm × 10 mm rat brain sample to approximately 1 h. Although some spectral information is lost with increasing analysis speed, the resulting data can still be used to classify tissue types on the basis of a previously constructed model. This is particularly interesting for clinical applications, where fast, reliable diagnosis is required.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract ?

     

IR-MALDESI Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Biological Tissue Sections Using Ice as a Matrix

Infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) mass spectrometry imaging of biological tissue sections using a layer of deposited ice as an energy-absorbing matrix was investigated. Dynamics of plume ablation were first explored using a nanosecond exposure shadowgraphy system designed to simultaneously collect pictures of the plume with a camera and collect the Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance FT-ICR mass spectrum corresponding to that same ablation event. Ablation of fresh tissue analyzed with and without using ice as a matrix were compared using this technique. Effect of spot-to-spot distance, number of laser shots per pixel, and tissue condition (matrix) on ion abundance were also investigated for 50 μm-thick tissue sections. Finally, the statistical method called design of experiments was used to compare source parameters and determine the optimal conditions for IR-MALDESI of tissue sections using deposited ice as a matrix. With a better understanding of the fundamentals of ablation dynamics and a systematic approach to explore the experimental space, it was possible to improve ion abundance by nearly one order of magnitude.

Gas Chromatography of Alpha-Keto Acids with A Sensitive and Selective Detector

Abstract

Gas chromatography of α-keto acids has been performed with high sensitivity by converting the acids to the trimethylsilyl derivatives of the quinoxalones derived from them and using a rubidium sulfate flame detector. Quantitative determinations have been made with the use of alkyl cyanides as internal standards.     

Microdetermination of Bile Acids by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Equipped with a High Sensitive Conductance Detector

Abstract

Conductimetric detection of bile acids in reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography is described. The solvent system of the mixture of water and organic solvent containing small amount of basic salts such as ammonium carbonate is found useable by removing the cation with the cation exchange column inserted between the ODS column and the conductance detector. Thus, a few ng of tauro-and glyco-conjugated bile acids can be detected without tedious derivatization and hydrolysis.     

Ultrafluorogenic Coumarin–Tetrazine Probes for Real‐Time Biological Imaging

We have developed a series of new ultrafluorogenic probes in the blue‐green region of the visible‐light spectrum that display fluorescence enhancement exceeding 11 000‐fold. These fluorogenic dyes integrate a coumarin fluorochrome with the bioorthogonal trans‐cyclooctene(TCO)–tetrazine chemistry platform. By exploiting highly efficient through‐bond energy transfer (TBET), these probes exhibit the highest brightness enhancements reported for any bioorthogonal fluorogenic dyes. No‐wash, fluorogenic imaging of diverse targets including cell‐surface receptors in cancer cells, mitochondria, and the actin cytoskeleton is possible within seconds, with minimal background signal and no appreciable nonspecific binding, opening the possibility for in vivo sensing.     

基于人工神经网络的生物组织质谱成像分类与识别方法

生物组织质谱成像技术不仅能够展示组织的生物分子信息,而且能直观地显示分子空间分布,是当今生物质谱的研究热点.如何对生物组织质谱成像的数据进行基于生物分子的有效分类与识别是该领域关注的重要问题,特别对于病变组织与其邻近非病变组织的区分与识别和生物组织功能区域的划分与鉴定具有重要的意义.本研究开发出一种新的分类与识别方法.其流程是,首先进行质谱成像数据预处理,应用无监督的自组织特征映射网络区分组织样品区与非组织区域,提取组织区域的质谱数据,应用有监督的学习向量量化网络对已知类别数据进行学习训练,建立模型;应用模型对未知样品进行识别.应用本方法对6个膀胱癌患者的膀胱癌变组织与邻近非癌变组织的质谱成像数据进行分类与识别,结果显示,癌变组织判错率低于23.38％,而非癌变组织判错率低于9.08％,表现出较高的准确度;对3片邻近的小鼠大脑切片质谱成像数据进行白质与灰质区域划分,将中间的1片用于训练,两边的2片用于验证,结果显示,自组织特征映射网络的分类结果与学习向量量化网络的预测结果不一致率低于4％.本方法基于生物分子的质谱成像组织区域分类与识别,具有较高准确度和操作简便等优点,在临床医学研究领域有大规模的应用潜能.     

纳米等离子体生物传感及成像

贵金属纳米材料具有显著的局域表面等离子体共振（LSPR）效应,可有效地将共振光子限域在金属表面.随着多种形貌贵金属纳米材料的可控合成及其功能化表面化学技术的日臻成熟,贵金属纳米材料已被广泛应用于生物标记、传感成像、分析分离及生物医学领域.从贵金属纳米等离子体材料的性质出发,综述局域表面等离子体共振材料在传感及细胞成像中的最新进展,并对基于局域表面等离子体共振材料的纳米光子学传感器未来发展前景做出展望.     

GLC Determination of Chlorpheniramine in Human Plasma Using a Nitrogen Sensitive Thermionic Detector

Abstract

A highly sensitive procedure for the determination of plasma levels of the antihistamine, chlorpheniramine (CPA) is presented. Following the administration of therapeutic doses (4–8 mg) of CPA, plasma levels of the drug can be expected to be low. To reliably and accurately measure such levels, an ultrasensitive means of determining the concentration is required. A preliminary extraction with ether, a back-wash into acid, a final basic extraction into hexane with subsequent measurement by a gas chromatograph equipped with a nitrogen sensitive detector, provides the required selectivity, sensitivity and speed of analysis. In an expenditure of less than 10 minutes, 1 ng of CPA per ml of plasma can be reliably determined.     

Hybrid Indicators for Fast and Sensitive Voltage Imaging

Membrane voltage is an important biophysical signal that underlies intercellular electrical communications. A fluorescent voltage indicator is presented that enables the investigation of electrical signaling at high spatial resolution. The method is built upon the site‐specific modification of microbial rhodopsin proteins with organic fluorophores, resulting in a hybrid indicator scaffold that is one of the most sensitive and fastest orange‐colored voltage indicators developed to date. We applied this technique to optically map electrical connectivity in cultured cells, which revealed gap junction‐mediated long‐range coupling that spanned over hundreds of micrometers.     

Application of a New pH‐Sensitive Electrode as a Detector in Flow Injection Potentiometry

A new pH sensitive detector for flow‐through potentiometry was developed on the basis of a graphite/quinhydrone composite electrode. The detector was constructed of two polymethylmethacrylate plates between which a 0.1 mm thick sensitive layer is situated. After drilling a hole through the plates, a ring of the sensitive layer is exposed to the solution stream. A conventional calomel reference electrode was placed downstream following the flow‐through sensor. The response behavior in different electrolyte solutions was investigated. The detector shows a Nernstian behavior for injections of hydrochloric acid into a KCl background solution as well as for the steady state response in concentration step experiments using hydrochloric acid and buffer solutions. The response time is sufficiently short for FIA applications (T₉₅ between 3 and 5.4 s). The influences of flow rate and injection volume on the detector signal are discussed.     

Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution Study of Tryptanthrin in Rats by RP-HPLC with DAD Detector

A simple RP-LC-UV method was established for the determination of tryptanthrin in plasma and different tissues of rats. The separation was achieved by HPLC on a C₁₈ column with a mobile phases composed of acetonitrile?Cwater (47:53, v/v), UV detection was used at 251?nm. Good linearity was found between 0.0183?C1.1712???g?mL^?1 (r ²?=?0.999) for plasma and 0.0937?C1.7568???g?mL^?1 for the tissue samples, respectively (r ²????0.9932). The intra- and inter-day precisions expressed as the relative standard deviation for the method were 0.92?C6.01 and 1.06?C9.11?%, respectively. The relative recoveries of tryptanthrin ranged from 95.26 to 97.89?% for plasma and 82.55 to 114.99?% for tissue homogenates (except heart). The developed method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution research after orally administration of a 56-mg?kg^?1 dose of tryptanthrin to healthy SD rats. The main pharmacokinetics distribution results showed that liver, lung, small intestine, and large intestine were the major distribution tissues of tryptanthrin in rats, and that tryptanthrin had difficulty in crossing the blood?Cbrain barrier.     

Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution Study of Tryptanthrin in Rats by RP-HPLC with DAD Detector

A simple RP-LC-UV method was established for the determination of tryptanthrin in plasma and different tissues of rats. The separation was achieved by HPLC on a C₁₈ column with a mobile phases composed of acetonitrile–water (47:53, v/v), UV detection was used at 251 nm. Good linearity was found between 0.0183–1.1712 μg mL⁻¹ (r ² = 0.999) for plasma and 0.0937–1.7568 μg mL⁻¹ for the tissue samples, respectively (r ² ≥ 0.9932). The intra- and inter-day precisions expressed as the relative standard deviation for the method were 0.92–6.01 and 1.06–9.11 %, respectively. The relative recoveries of tryptanthrin ranged from 95.26 to 97.89 % for plasma and 82.55 to 114.99 % for tissue homogenates (except heart). The developed method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution research after orally administration of a 56-mg kg⁻¹ dose of tryptanthrin to healthy SD rats. The main pharmacokinetics distribution results showed that liver, lung, small intestine, and large intestine were the major distribution tissues of tryptanthrin in rats, and that tryptanthrin had difficulty in crossing the blood–brain barrier.

     

Dual-Emissive Platinum(II) Metallacage with a Sensitive Oxygen Response for Imaging of Hypoxia and Imaging-Guided Chemotherapy

Imaging of hypoxia in vivo helps with accurate cancer diagnosis and evaluation of therapeutic outcomes. A Pt^II metallacage with oxygen-responsive red phosphorescence and steady fluorescence for in vivo hypoxia imaging and chemotherapy is reported. The therapeutic agent and diagnostic probe were integrated into the metallacage through heteroligation-directed self-assembly. Nanoformulation by encapsulating the metallacage into nanoparticles greatly enhanced its stability the in physiological environment, rendering biomedical applications feasible. Apart from enhanced red phosphorescence upon hypoxia, the ratio between red and blue emissions, which only varies with intracellular oxygen level, provides a more precise standard for hypoxia imaging and detection. Moreover, in vivo explorations demonstrate the promising potential applications of the metallacage-loaded nanoparticles as theranostic agents for tumor hypoxia imaging and chemotherapy.     

全柱成像激光诱导荧光微阵列芯片检测器

随着微分离技术的发展和微电子、微制造技术的进步,芯片分析仪器已成为当今一个重要的发展方向.传统的单通道、单点检测所存在的弊端是检测通量太小.     

A Sensitive LC Method with Fluorescence Detector for the Determination of Rhodamine 123 in Cell Lysate

Rhodamine 123 has been frequently used to evaluate the functional activity of P-glycoprotein, assess the related drug interactions, analyze mitochondrial distribution and function, sort functionally distinct cell subpopulations and measure mitochondrial or cellular membrane potential. We developed a sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection after simple sample preparation procedure for the determination of Rhodamine 123 in P-glycoprotein efflux studies. The mobile phase consisted of methanol and 15 mM dibasic sodium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) (80:20,v/v), delivered at a rate of 1.0 mL min^?1. 15 μL of the samples were injected into a reversed-phase C₁₈ column with a fixed excitation wavelength at 505 nm and altered emission wavelengths. The whole LC analysis was accomplished within 6 min. The established linearity range from 1 to 100 ng mL^?1, with the inter-day and intra-day RSD below 7.57 and 4.89% at concentrations of 4.4, 44 and 88 ng mL^?1. All the calibration standards and quality controls were prepared in cell lysate and were stable for three freeze-thaw cycles, for 12 h at 4 °C and for 6 h at room temperature. This rapid LC method has been applied to the quantification of Rhodamine 123 in cell lysate obtained from P-glycoprotein efflux study conducted in rat brain capillary endothelial cells.     

LC with Fluorimetric Detection for Sensitive Analysis of Reduced Flubendazole in Biological Samples

A validated LC method is proposed for analysis of flubendazole and its metabolites in biological samples of Haemonchus contortus. Two detectors were used—photodiode-array and spectrofluorimetric. The native fluorescence of reduced flubendazole, the key substance investigated during biological experiments, was used for its fluorimetric detection with a very low limit of quantification (0.63 nmol L^?1).     

Polyion‐Sensitive Polymeric Membrane‐Based Pulstrode as a Potentiometric Detector in Liquid Chromatography

Potentiometric polyion‐sensitive polymeric membrane electrodes are capable of detecting a wide variety of polyionic macromolecules. Herein, we utilize this lack of selectivity to report the first application of this sensor technology as a detector in liquid chromatography (LC). A reversible polycation pulstrode based on tridodecylmethylammonium‐dinonylnaphthalene sulfonate doped within a polymeric membrane is employed as the LC detector. Poly‐arginines/protamine mixtures are separated by cation‐exchange/affinity chromatography on an immobilized heparin column, with eluted polycation peptide bands clearly observed via the pulstrode detector. The LC‐pulstrode system is further applied to follow the production of different polycation peptides derived from thermolysin catalyzed protamine digestion.