Mass Spectrometric Profiling of Intact Biological Tissue by Using Desorption Electrospray Ionization

Abstract

Direct chemical profiling of biological tissues, including metastatic human-liver adenocarcinoma, was carried out by using mass spectrometry under ambient conditions. Desorption electrospray ionization revealed enhanced signals from sphingolipids and increased unsaturation levels of the phospholipids in the tumor region of the tissue (see picture).