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National Resource for Imaging Mass Spectrometry
Contents
Contact Information
NRIMS
Partners Research Facility
65 Landsdowne Street, Room 535
Cambridge, MA 02139
http://www.nrims.harvard.edu
Principal Investigator/Contact
Claude Lechene, M.D.
Phone: 617-768-8262
Fax: 617-768-8260
cpl@harvard.edu
Contact
Maya Kavtaradze
Phone: 617-768-8262
Fax: 617-768-8260
mkavtaradze@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
Grant Number
Grant No. EB001974
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Research Emphasis
The focus of this resource is the application to biomedical research of a new generation of secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS), the Multi-Isotope Imaging Mass Spectrometer (MIMS). MIMS is an ion microscope and an ion counter. MIMS provides high mass separation at high transmission (M/lambdaM > 10,000), high spatial resolution (< 40 nm) and has the unique capability of simultaneously recording several atomic mass images. Of the utmost importance, MIMS makes it possible for the first time (and at the intracellular level) to simultaneously image the distribution and measure the accumulation of molecules labeled with any isotopes, in particular with stable isotopes, for example with 15N. Thus, MIMS allows one to study localization, accumulation and turnover of proteins, fats, sugars and foreign molecules in cellular microdomains, donor-receiver cellular trafficking, stem cell nesting and localization of drugs.
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Current Research
Current research projects emphasize the study of molecular turnover inside cells. Particularly, we are studying protein renewal and DNA replication in cochleae after toxic injury, protein renewal along stereocilia, renal cells regeneration after renal ischemia, fatty acid transport in cultured adipocytes, cell membrane lipid rafts, DNA-RNA co-localization, and nitrogen fixation in bacteria.
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Resource Capabilities
Instruments
- Cameca prototype NanoSIMS 50 Multi-Isotope Imaging Mass Spectrometer
- Nikon Eclipse E800 Microscope for interference contrast reflection microscopy
- Zeiss Axiovert 405M Inverted Microscope for fluorescence microscopy, equipped with a Photometrics CH250 cooled CCD camera, a microinjector, and a gas and temperature controlled stage
- Peripheral equipment for sample preparation including a Leica Ultracut R ultramicrotome, Leica RM 255 rotary microtome, Leica CM1850 for cryomicrotomy and the Leica EM Trim for initial sample block trimming
- Cell culture facilities
Software
- MIMS operating software with additional custom scripts enabling a high level of MIMS operational automation
- ISee Data and Image Analysis Software with additional extensive software
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References
- Guillermier C, Lechene CP, Hill J, Hillion F. A vacuum bench for the characterization of thermo-ionization ion sources. Review of Scientific Instruments 2003;74:3312-3316.
- Peteranderl R, Lechene CP. Measurement of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in cultured cells. Journal of The American Society for Mass Spectrometry 2004;15:478-485.
- Hallegot P, Peteranderl R, Lechene CP. In-situ imaging mass spectrometry analysis of melanin granules in the human hair shaft. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2004;22:381-386.
- Kleinfeld AM, Kampf JP, Lechene CP. Transport of 13C-oleate in adipocytes measured using multi imaging mass spectrometry. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 2004;15:1572-1580.
- Lechene CP, Cotanche D, Benson D, Bonventre J, Distel D, Hillion F, Hentschel D, Kampf J, Kleinfeld M, Luyten Y, Park KM, Schwartz M. High Resolution quantitative imaging of biological cells using stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Journal of Biology (in press).
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