imaging mass cytometry

Imaging mass cytometry is a technique that allows scientists to analyze the composition of tissue samples at a very detailed level. It combines traditional microscopy with advanced chemical detection by tagging specific proteins in cells with tiny metal labels. Then, a specialized instrument randomly vaporizes small parts of the sample and measures the metal tags to identify which proteins are present and where they are located. This process creates highly detailed, multi-marker images that help researchers understand complex biological processes, such as disease mechanisms, at a single-cell resolution across the entire tissue.