From the structural elucidation of small molecules, to protein and peptide identification, mass spectrometry continues to be a valued technique in analyte identification. Recent advances discussed below include improved instrumentation for the separation of molecules of near-identical mass, sophisticated software solutions for data analysis and sample preparation developments. Investigation of the molecular composition of tissue sections, with a resolution of 20-50 μm is now possible with Bruker's MALDI Molecular Imager~(TM). For each point on the tissue, mass spectra are generated by ionisation of molecules by a laser with the assistance of a matrix (MALDI = matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization) and measurement of the time of flight (TOF) of the ions after a pulsed acceleration.
展开▼
