External Vendor Ion Sources for Orbitrap Exploris MS

Benefit from high mass resolution and high spatial resolution

Due to its high performance in spatial resolution, TransMIT’s AP-SMALDI5 AF ion source is the perfect match for the high mass resolution and accurate mass (HRAM) capabilities of Thermo Scientific Orbitrap MS instrumentation. The coupling of AP-SMALDI5 AF and Orbitrap technologies enables high mass and spatial resolution by providing:

  • Automated matrix application with crystal size below 5 µm, via TransMIT's SMALDIPrep device
  • Lateral and spatial resolution of 5 µm and MS Imaging acquisition modes with choices for highest acquisition speed (2D Line Mode) or highest sensitivity (Full Pixel Mode)
  • Automated laser focusing to investigate non-flat surfaces and 3-dimensional surfaces (3D-Surface MS Imaging)
  • TransMIT’s SMALDIControl Software to control ion source, laser, x,y,z-stage, and mass spectrometer
  • Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris MS HRAM instrumentation supported by its Instrument Control Software (Tune and Method Editor application) supporting the capabilities to trigger the mass spectrometer by an external device suited for MS Imaging applications
  • TransMIT’s Mirion MS Image generation software with full imzML integration for post-processing MS imaging raw data information

AP-SMALDI MS healthy mouse brain tissue imaging, using the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris 240 Mass Spectrometer with m/z values extracted in blue, red and green.

Compounds extracted are location-specific endogenous metabolites of mouse brain tissue. 2D pixel mode of acquisition with 40 µm x 40 µm pixels size and with 5 µm laser spot size applied. Full MS scan from m/z 600 to m/z 1000.

TransMIT Center for Mass Spectrometric Development (TransMIT GmbH, Giessen, Germany) offers integrated high-end solutions for atmospheric-pressure Scanning microprobe Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometric imaging. These solutions are based on TransMIT’s proprietary SMALDI MS Imaging and 3D-Surface MS Imaging technology.

 

The AP-SMALDI source generates ions under atmospheric pressure (AP) and the experimental setup allows to systematically scan tissue samples or 3D objects with the pulsed laser beam applying laser spot sizes of 5 μm routinely and without oversampling.


Schematic diagram of TransMIT’s AP-SMALDI5 AF ion source mounted to the Orbitrap Exploris platform

TransMIT’s SMALDIPrep device, its AP-SMALDI5 AF ion source, its Mirion MS Image generation software and Orbitrap Exploris MS instrumentation allows for spatial multi-omics analysis from tissue and from surfaces of 3D objects.

AP-SMALDI ion source schematic detail: (1) the laser beam passes through a focusing lens (2) two mirrors directing the light through an objective lens (3) close to the sample. The objective lens (3) focuses the pulsed laser light to the tissue sample base plate (4). An off-axis camera (5) allows for sample inspection while the autofocusing (6) laser ensures the analyzing laser is always in focus. Technical details of the AP-SMALDI5 AF setup coupled to Orbitrap mass spectrometry for MS Imaging application. Note: AP-SMALDI5 AF ion source is a laser class 1 product.


Resources

Drug imaging and uptake kinetics

AP-SMALDI MS Imaging enabled by Orbitrap technology allows you to successfully track anti-Fasciola compounds during their penetration into parasitic tissues upon time course studies.

High resolution in mass & space

High resolution in mass and space is achieved by Atmospheric-Pressure Scanning microprobe Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (AP-SMALDI) coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometers.

Spatial multi-omics at the cellular level

Charactering small metabolites, lipids and tryptic peptides in complex tissue architectures at the low-micrometer scale by means of spatial resolution when applying AP-SMALDI5 AF technique coupled to Orbitrap Exploris mass spectrometer.


Videos


For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.