Interrogating the variation of element masses and distribution patterns in single cells using ICP-MS with a high efficiency cell introduction system

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Hailong Wang ; Meng Wang ; Bing Wang ; Lingna Zheng…
• 关键词：Single ; cell analysis ; Single ; cell ICP ; MS ; Human cell lines ; Endogenous elements ; Variation ; Subpopulation
• 刊名：Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：February 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：409
• 期：5
• 页码：1415-1423
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Chemistry and Materials Science
• 刊物主题：Analytical Chemistry; Biochemistry, general; Laboratory Medicine; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Food Science; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis;
• 出版者：Springer Berlin Heidelberg
• ISSN：1618-2650
• 卷排序：409

文摘

Cellular heterogeneity is an inherent condition of cell populations, which results from stochastic expression of genes, proteins, and metabolites. The heterogeneity of individual cells can dramatically influence cellular decision-making and cell fate. So far, our knowledge about how the variation of endogenous metals and non-metals in individual eukaryotic cells is limited. In this study, ICP-MS equipped with a high efficiency cell introduction system (HECIS) was developed as a method of single-cell ICP-MS (SC-ICP-MS). The method was applied to the single-cell analysis of Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, P, and S in human cancer cell lines (HeLa and A549) and normal human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE). The analysis showed obvious variation of the masses of Cu, Fe, Zn, and P in individual HeLa cells, and variation of Fe, Zn, and P in individual A549 cells. On the basis of the single-cell data, a multimodal distribution of the elements in the cell population was fitted, which showed marked differences among the various cell lines. Importantly, subpopulations of the elements were found in the cell populations, especially in the HeLa cancer cells. This study demonstrates that SC-ICP-MS is able to unravel the extent of variation of endogenous elements in individual cells, which will help to improve our fundamental understanding of cellular biology and reveal novel insights into human biology and medicine.