Recent Advances in Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) for in situ analysis of endogenous molecules in plants - 新型多组学研究综合实验室（王晓东课题组）

Mass spectrometry imaging(MSI), an emerging technology for molecular imaging in biological tissue, enables simultaneous examination and characterization of the spatial distributions and relative abundances of endogenous and exogenous compounds directly from the surface of a thinly cut tissue slice, such as proteins, peptides, lipids, metabolites,and drugs. In the past decade, MSI has been widely applied in a broad range of fields, including basic medical science,pharmaceutical science, microbiology, and zoology. MSI has been applied to investigate plant biology because it can be used for in situ label-free molecular imaging. This review provides an overview of MSI technology, describes the standard operating procedures of different types of MSI, and outlines the applications of MSI for in situ analysis of endogenous molecules in plant tissue, particularly in medicinal plant materials. Finally, the technical limitations and challenges of MSI are summarized, which must be addressed to allow for effective and widespread application of MSI in plants. Further improvements in MS technology will enhance the overall performance of MSI in plant studies