"MS-Patch-Clamp" or the Possibility of Mass Spectrometry Hybridization with Patch-Clamp Setups for Single Cell Metabolomics and Channelomics

In this projecting work we propose a mass spectrometric patch-clamp equipment with the capillary performing both a local potential registration at the cell membrane and the analyte suction simultaneously. This paper provides a current literature analysis comparing the possibilities of the novel approach proposed with the known methods, such as scanning patch-clamp, scanning ion conductance microscopy, patch clamp based on scanning probe microscopy technology, quantitative subcellular secondary ion mass spectrometry or "ion microscopy", live single-cell mass spectrometry, in situ cell-by-cell imaging, single-cell video-mass spectrometry, etc. We also consider the ways to improve the informativeness of these methods and particularly emphasize the trend at the increasing of the analysis complexity. We propose here the way to improve the efficiency of the cell trapping to the capillary during MS-path-clamp, as well as to provide laser surface ionization using laser trapping and tweezing of cells with the laser beam transmitted through the capillary as a waveguide. It is also possible to combine the above system with the microcolumn separation system or capillary electrophoresis as an optional direction of further development of the complex of analytical techniques emerging from the MS variation of patch-clamp.