Capturing living cell lines with a new nanoimaging technique using graphene

With each passing day, human technology becomes more sophisticated and we become a little more equipped to look more deeply at biological processes and molecular and cellular structures, thus gaining a greater understanding of mechanisms underlying diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and others.

Today, nanoimaging, one such modern technology, is widely used to identify subcellular and cellular molecules such as cholesterol and fatty acids. But it is not without its limitations, as Professor Dae Won Moon of the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Technology (DGIST), Korea, a leading scientist in a recent modern study is advancing the field, explains: “Most advanced nanoimaging methods use accelerated electron or ion transport in ultra-high-vacuum environments. To bring cells into that environment, one has to chemically position them and physically freeze or dry them. But such processes damage the original molecular composition and circulation of the cells. ”

Professor Moon and his team wanted to find a way to avoid this decline. “We wanted to apply advanced nanoimaging techniques in ultra-high-vacuum environments in living cells in solution without any chemical and physical treatment, not even fluorescence staining, to obtain intrinsic biomolecular information that is incompatible. made using conventional bioimaging techniques, ”Drs. Heejin Lim, a key member of the research team, explains. Their novel solution is published in Natural ways.

Their approach involves placing wet cells on a wet substrate covered with collagen with microholes, which itself is on top of a central cell culture reservoir. The cells are then covered with a single layer of graphene. It is the graphene that is supposed to protect the cells from degeneration and organs from shrinking.

Through an optical microscope, the scientists proved that, when prepared in this way, the cells are stable and live up to ten minutes after being placed in an ultra-high-vacuum environment. The scientists also performed nanoimaging, in particular, secondary ion spectrometry imaging, in this environment for up to 30 min. The images they captured within the first ten minutes paint a very detailed picture (submicrometer) of the true sexual distribution of lipids in their native states in the cell organs; during this time, the organs were not significantly altered.

With this method too, however, prevention of ion transport accidents at a point on the graphene film can create a hole large enough for some of the lipid granules to escape. But while this degradation to the cell membrane occurs, it does not matter within the ten-minute window and there is no solution. Further, the graphene molecules work with water molecules to self-repair. So, overall, this is a great way to learn about cell molecules in their native state in high resolution.

“I think our innovative method can be widely used by many biochemical imaging laboratories for more reliable and ultimately cellular bioanalyses for overcoming complex diseases,” says the t-Oll. Moon.

Is this innovation going to be the norm? Only time will tell!

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Information

Authors: Heejin Lim¬1, Sun Young Lee1, Yereum Park2, Hyeonggyu Jin3, Daeha Seo3, Yun Hee Jang2 and Dae Won Moon1,4

Title of original paper: Mass spectrometry image of untreated wet cell membrane in solution using single-layer graphene

Iris: Natural ways

DOI: https: //doi.org /10.1038 /s41592-020-01055-6

Associations: 1 New Department of Biology, DGIST, Daegu, Republic of Korea

2Department of Energy Science and Engineering, DGIST, Daegu, Republic of Korea

3D division of emerging products, DGIST, Daegu, Republic of Korea

4 School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Republic of Korea

* Relevant author email: [email protected]

About Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)

The Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) is a well-known and prestigious research center based in Daegu, Republic of Korea. Founded in 2004 by the Korean Government, DGIST aims to advance national science and technology, as well as boost the local economy.

With a vision of “Changing the world through convergence”, DGIST has conducted a wide range of research in a number of science and technology areas. DGIST has adopted a multidisciplinary approach to research and conducted intensive studies in some of today’s most important areas. DGIST also has a state-of-the-art infrastructure to enable advanced research in materials science, robotics, cognitive sciences, and communications engineering.

Website: https: //www.dgist.ac.kr /en /html /sub01 /010204.html

About the authors

Dr Dae Won Moon is a Professor at the Department of New Biology and is affiliated to DGIST’s NanoBio Imaging Lab. He began his career with a PhD in Chemistry from Pennsylvania State University, USA, in 1984, and is now on the editorial board of the journal Critical Reviews in Solid State and Materials Science. His research interests include sensible Raman scattering, surface plasmon resonance imaging ellipsometry, mass spectrometry imaging, and time-of-flight medium energy ion scattering. For his outstanding achievements in the field, including more than 180 publications, he has won several awards in Korea.