Imaging with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) has expanded very rapidly with the development of gold cluster ion sources (Au-3(+)). It is now possible to acquire ion density maps ( ion images) on a tissue section without any treatment and with a lateral resolution of few micrometers. In this article, we have taken advantage of this technique to study the degeneration/regeneration process in muscles of a Duchenne muscular dystrophy model mouse. Specific distribution of different lipid classes ( fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, tocopherol, coenzyme Q9, and cholesterol) allows us to distinguish three different regions on a mouse leg section: one is destroyed, another is degenerating ( oxidative stress and deregulation of the phosphoinositol cycle), and the last one is stable. TOF- SIMS imaging shows the ability to localize directly on a tissue section a great number of lipid compounds that reflect the state of the cellular metabolism. - Touboul, D., A. Brunelle, F. Halgand, S. De La Porte, and O. LaprEvote. Lipid imaging by gold cluster time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry: application to Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
