Tools for Metallomics
Progress in interdisciplinary areas of the life sciences is often linked to the development and application of innovative analytical tools. Thus, future outcomes in the field of Metallomics are closely related to the improvement and development of novel analytical instrumentation, methods, and technologies.
With the aim to highlight recent research on this topic, we have prepared a topical collection on “Tools for Metallomics” where several internationally well-renowned colleagues in the field have included their original contributions/review articles covering many different aspects across this discipline.
Due to the high complexity of biological and biomedical samples, stand-alone analytical methods are often not sufficient to solve increasingly demanding analytical questions. Instead, hyphenated analytical techniques combining sample preparation strategies, separations of species, spatially resolved mapping, spectroscopic techniques, and molecular and elemental mass spectrometry form the backbone of an ever-growing, powerful toolbox in Metallomics. This is obvious when browsing through this topical collection, which contains, among others, exciting examples based on elemental speciation analysis, multimodal bioimaging, and single-cell/single-particle elemental mass spectrometry.
We would like to express our congratulations and gratitude to the authors of the manuscripts for their fascinating work and timely submission. We hope that you will find an instructive, inspiring, and enjoyable topical collection on Tools for Metallomics!
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is a powerful technique for the in vivo assessment of plant tissues. However, the potential X-ray exposure damages might affect the structure and elemental composition of living plant tissues, leading to artefacts in the recorded data. Herein, we exposed in ...
Excess and limited trace metal contents in soils and plants can limit crop yields and pose a risk for the environment and human health. This mini-review reports on the emerging approach of combining X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) with isotope analyses to improve the understanding of metal ...
Thimerosal (THI) is widely used as an antimicrobial preservative, but can hydrolyze to ethylmercury, causing potentially neurotoxicity. In this work, a THP-1 cell line was used to investigate the biological behavior of THI. An on-line droplet microfluidic chip system combined with time-resolved ...
Since chemotherapy suffers many limitations related to side effects of anticancer drugs (e.g. cisplatin - CDDP), nanoparticles are probed as carriers in targeted drug delivery. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are broadly investigated due to their biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and tunable surface. ...
This paper discusses the feasibility of a novel strategy based on the combination of bioprinting nano-doping technology and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis for the preparation and characterization of gelatin-based multi-element calibration ...
The development of the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC)-specific inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ICP-ToF-MS) analytical method presented here, in combination with the investigation of steel-MIC interactions, contributes significantly to progress in ...
The low solubility of inorganic iron(III) in seawater leads to very limited availability of this important micronutrient for marine organisms. Estuarine or oceanic iron is almost entirely bound to organic ligands of mainly unknown chemical structure. In this context, riverine input of iron rich, ...
Non-invasive imaging techniques to dynamically map whole-body trafficking of essential metals in vivo in health and diseases are needed. Despite 62 Zn having appropriate physical properties for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging (half-life, 9.3 h; positron emission, 8.2%), its complex decay ...
Metal complexes bind to a wide variety of biomolecules and the control of the reactivity is essential when designing anticancer metallodrugs with a specific mode of action in mind. In this study, we used the highly cytotoxic compound [Ru II (cym)(8-HQ)Cl] (cym = η 6 - p -cymene, 8-HQ = ...
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in woman and tremendous efforts are undertaken to limit its dissemination and to provide effective treatment. Various histopathological parameters are routinely assessed in breast cancer biopsies to provide valuable diagnostic and prognostic ...
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the field of metallomics. As a landmark in time, it is an occasion to reflect on the past, present, and future of this integrated field of biometal sciences. A fundamental bias is one reason for having metallomics as a scientific discipline. The focus of ...
Gadolinium (Gd) deposition has been found in both animal and human tissues after injections of Gd-based contrast agents (GBCAs). Without the knowledge of which tissues are most affected, it is difficult to determine whether Gd accumulation could lead to any pathological changes. The current study ...
The bioavailability of trace elements in the course of evolution had an essential influence on the emergence of life itself. This is reflected in the co-evolution between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In this study, the influence and cellular distribution of bioelements during phagocytosis at the ...
Methylmercury (MeHg) is one of the most potent neurotoxins to which humans are exposed via the consumption of fish, from which it is effectively absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream. Its interactions with plasma proteins, small-molecular-weight (SMW) molecules, and red blood ...
