2026-10-14T04:28:58Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33894858 2026-09-17T13:36:26Z category_1 category_4 category_915 category_7 category_16 category_21 category_272 category_873 category_106 category_734 portal_63 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

On-Slide Preparation of Caenorhabditis elegans toward Quantitative, High-Resolution LA-ICP-TOF Mass Spectrometry Imaging Aidan J. Reynolds (17826039) Aaron Sue (24714023) Keith MacRenaris (6393275) Thomas V. O’Halloran (392208) Tian Autumn Qiu (17826045) Biophysics Biochemistry Physical Sciences not elsewhere classified Medicine Physiology Biotechnology Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Science Policy Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified ulmats ), water oversampling laser shots metal biology research day 1 adult similar model systems integrated workflow consisting microscale biological systems based embedding media quantitative elemental maps animal elemental imaging flight mass spectrometry organism elemental imaging based metal imaging established model organism caenorhabditis elegans </ μm spatial resolution ms imaging workflow model organism mass spectrometry adaptable workflow μm thickness spatial resolution biological functions toward quantitative quantitative analysis elegans </ ms imaging work established tissue preservation slide preparation sample preparation sample handling powerful tool methodology expands many diseases heterogeneous tissues commercially known closely mimic analytical capabilities Metal homeostasis is essential for biological functions and has been implicated in many diseases. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) imaging is a powerful tool for spatially resolved elemental imaging in heterogeneous tissues. The nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> (<i>C. elegans</i>) is a well-established model organism for metal biology research. However, there have been few reports on mass spectrometry-based metal imaging of <i>C. elegans</i> due to challenges in sample preparation for high-resolution and quantitative analysis. In this study, we established an integrated workflow consisting of sample preparation, imaging, and quantitative analysis for whole-animal elemental imaging of <i>C. elegans</i> by LA-ICP-TOF-MS. With the assistance of 3D-printed uniform layer media application tools (ULMATs), water-based and hydrocarbon-based embedding media were evaluated, and petrolatum, commercially known as Vaseline, stood out for its performance in preserving <i>C. elegans</i> over time for LA-ICP-TOF-MS imaging. Worms were subjected to microscopy and LA-ICP-TOF-MS imaging where we achieved a 2-μm spatial resolution by oversampling laser shots during ablation. Quantitative elemental maps were obtained using gelatin standards sectioned at a 40-μm thickness to closely mimic the average tissue ablation depth of a day 1 adult <i>C. elegans</i>. This work established a comprehensive LA-ICP-TOF-MS imaging workflow for model organism <i>C. elegans</i> and addressed key analytical bottlenecks associated with sample handling, tissue preservation, spatial resolution, and quantitation in whole-organism elemental imaging of <i>C. elegans</i>. The methodology expands the analytical capabilities of LA-ICP-TOF-MS imaging for microscale biological systems and provides an adaptable workflow for future spatial metal biology research using <i>C. elegans</i> and other similar model systems. 2026-09-17T00:00:00Z Dataset Dataset 10.1021/acs.analchem.6c04271.s002 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/On-Slide_Preparation_of_Caenorhabditis_elegans_toward_Quantitative_High-Resolution_LA-ICP-TOF_Mass_Spectrometry_Imaging/33894858 CC BY-NC 4.0