MALDI imaging mass spectrometry: Neurochemical imaging of proteins and peptides

Abstract

The central nervous system (CNS) constitutes the most intricate tissue in the human body. Neurological diseases, in particular, have a complex pathophysiology and are heterogeneous in their pathological and clinical presentation and therefore poorly understood on a molecular level. Increased insight in molecular CNS disease pathophysiology relates directly to the advancement of novel bioanalytical technologies that allow highly resolved, sensitive, specific, and comprehensive molecular analysis and molecular imaging in complex biological tissues, and in the CNS in particular. Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is an emerging technique for molecular imaging, characterized by its high molecular specificity and is therefore a powerful approach for investigating molecular localization patterns in CNS-derived tissue and cells. Over the last 20 years, IMS has been demonstrated to be a promising technology for chemical imaging in biochemical studies, but its application in clinical research is still in its infancy. The goal of this chapter is to provide the reader with a detailed step-by-step guide through the IMS workflow for the successful replication of published experimental data. Moreover, the aim is to give a concise overview of the major developments and applications of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) based imaging mass spectrometry for neurochemical profiling with particular focus on protein and peptide imaging in neurodegenerative disease pathology.