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Single cell versus large population analysis: cell variability in elemental intracellular concentration and distribution

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Abstract

The quantification of elemental concentration in cells is usually performed by analytical assays on large populations missing peculiar but important rare cells. The present article aims at comparing the elemental quantification in single cells and cell population in three different cell types using a new approach for single cells elemental analysis performed at sub-micrometer scale combining X-ray fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The attention is focused on the light element Mg, exploiting the opportunity to compare the single cell quantification to the cell population analysis carried out by a highly Mg-selective fluorescent chemosensor. The results show that the single cell analysis reveals the same Mg differences found in large population of the different cell strains studied. However, in one of the cell strains, single cell analysis reveals two cells with an exceptionally high intracellular Mg content compared with the other cells of the same strain. The single cell analysis allows mapping Mg and other light elements in whole cells at sub-micrometer scale. A detailed intensity correlation analysis on the two cells with the highest Mg content reveals that Mg subcellular localization correlates with oxygen in a different fashion with respect the other sister cells of the same strain.

Single cells or large population analysis this is the question!

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    Emil Malucelli, Alessandra Procopio, Azzurra Sargenti, Concettina Cappadone, Giovanna Farruggia & Stefano Iotti

  2. Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi, Piazza del Viminale, 1, 00184, Roma, Italy

    Michela Fratini

  3. CNR-Nanotec, c/o Department of Physics University Sapienza, Rome, Italy

    Michela Fratini & Stefano Lagomarsino

  4. Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste, Basovizza, 34149, Trieste, Italy

    Alessandra Gianoncelli

  5. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnology, 00156, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Notargiacomo

  6. Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy

    Lucia Merolle

  7. Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, 20157, Milan, Italy

    Sara Castiglioni & Jeanette A. Maier

  8. National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, 00136, Rome, Italy

    Giovanna Farruggia & Stefano Iotti

  9. Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Marco Lombardo

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  1. Emil Malucelli
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Correspondence to Emil Malucelli.

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Malucelli, E., Procopio, A., Fratini, M. et al. Single cell versus large population analysis: cell variability in elemental intracellular concentration and distribution. Anal Bioanal Chem 410, 337–348 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-017-0725-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-017-0725-8

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