Innovative method provides unique insights into the structure of cells and tissues
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Cells are the basic building blocks of life-and, as such, they have been the object of intense study since the invention of the optical microscope in the 17th century. The development of mass spectrometry (MS) methods-those which define the chemical composition of cells-represent a further milestone for research in the field of cell biology. In the latest issue of the journal Nature Methods, the working group headed by Prof. Klaus Dreisewerd and Dr. Jens Soltwisch from the Institute of Hygiene at the University of Münster present a method which has improved the spatial resolution of MALDI mass spectrometry by around one-thousandth of a millimetre.