Of all the inorganic mass spectrometric techniques, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) plays a key role as a powerful and sensitive microanalytical technique enabling multi-element trace analysis and isotope ratio measurements at trace and ultratrace level. LA-ICP-MS was used to produce images of detailed regionally-specific element distribution in 20 µm thin sections of different parts of the human brain. The quantitative determination of copper, zinc, lead and uranium distribution in thin slices of human brain samples was performed using matrix-matched laboratory standards via external calibration procedures. Imaging mass spectrometry provides new information on the spatially inhomogeneous element distribution in thin sections of human tissues, for example, of different brain regions (the insular region) or brain tumor tissues. The detection limits obtained for Cu, Zn, Pb and U were in the ng g^–1 range. Possible strategies of LA-ICP-MS in brain research and life sciences include the elemental imaging of thin slices of brain tissue or applications in proteome analysis by combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization MS to study phospho- and metal-containing proteins will be discussed.

Keywords: biological tissues, imaging mass spectrometry, copper, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, MALDI-FT-ICR-MS, metalloproteins, selenium, zinc