Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry - Single-cell Analysis

The cell, as a fundamental structural, functional and biological unit, plays an essential role in living organisms. Analysis of the molecular/elemental composition of a single cell is a significant aspect of lipidomic, proteomic, metabolomic and metallomic studies aiming at understanding molecular processes in cells. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a powerful technique which can help to elucidate the bioeffects of trace metals and their species on cellular metabolism and cell behavior. Numerous ICP-MS-based methods have already been utilized to explore elemental/species profiles. These include, e.g. time-resolved ICP-MS, electrothermal vaporization ICP-MS, laser ablation ICP-MS, chip-based microextraction techniques, HPLC/CE-ICP-MS, elemental tagging, and mass cytometry. All these methods are covered in this short review.