Preparing Adherent Cells for X-ray Fluorescence Imaging by Chemical Fixation

Summary

Here, we present a protocol on how to determine the quantity and distribution of metals in a sample using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence. We focus on adherent cells, and describe the chemical fixation method to prepare this sample. We then describe how to mount and image the sample using synchrotron X-rays.

Abstract

X-ray fluorescence imaging allows us to non-destructively measure the spatial distribution and concentration of multiple elements simultaneously over large or small sample areas. It has been applied in many areas of science, including materials science, geoscience, studying works of cultural heritage, and in chemical biology. In the case of chemical biology, for example, visualizing the metal distributions within cells allows us to study both naturally-occurring metal ions in the cells, as well as exogenously-introduced metals such as drugs and nanoparticles. Due to the fully hydrated nature of nearly all biological samples, cryo-fixation followed by imaging under cryogenic temperature represents the ideal imaging modality currently available. However, under the circumstances that such a combination is not easily accessible or practical, aldehyde based chemical fixation remains useful and sometimes inevitable. This article describes in as much detail as possible in the preparation of adherent mammalian cells by chemical fixation for X-ray fluorescent imaging.

Introduction

X-ray fluorescence imaging allows for both the identity and quantity of elements present in a sample to be spatially resolved. Incident X-rays, of an energy selected to be greater than the electron binding energy of the heaviest element of interest, overcome the binding energy of inner-shell electrons to the nucleus¹. This creates a ‘hole’ in the electron shell. As higher-energy electrons fall down into these holes, fluorescent X-rays are emitted whose wavelength is dependent on the energy separation of those orbitals. Since the energy spacing of the orbitals is characteristic of a given element, the X-ray fluorescence emission also has characte....

Protocol

1. Preparation of Instruments, Substrates, Culture Media and Dishes

1. Handling of Silicon Nitride (Si₃N₄) windows.
   1. Open the capsule slightly by squeezing one end containing the window in such a way as to not squeeze the window itself, while rotating the other end of the capsule with the other hand.
   2. Check a pair of reverse, fine-tipped tweezers under stereomicroscope to make sure there are no adhesive, gaps or bends at the tip. Otherwise, the windows may be broken by the tweezers or fly off of them during the subsequent steps.
   3. Remove the window from the capsule by carefully grasping the frame of the wind....

Results

The ability of X-ray fluorescence imaging to provide information about biological samples is contingent upon these samples being prepared in such a way that they are robust to radiation damage on the time-scale of the experiment, and yet their chemical and structural features are well preserved. In viewing the result of a sample that has been prepared as described above and imaged, it is possible to see that there is variation in the elements present — indicating that fixation preserved these aspects of the cell (

Discussion

X-ray fluorescence imaging is useful in many fields, including geosciences, materials science, and chemical biology^26-34. Advances in synchrotron X-rays, and their focusing, have produced very high-intensity beams. Focused X-ray beams sufficient to excite the endogenous metals in cells now exist, producing signal that can be measured with currently available silicon drift detector technology. And studying the chemical biology of metals in the cell is one application in particular that makes use of many of the .......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Silicon nitride windows	Silson Ltd/J B J Business Park/Northampton Rd, Northampton NN7 3DW, United Kingdom	SiRN-5.0-200-2.0-200. Order by size. Membrane size: 1.5 mm x 1.5 mm. Thickness: 200 nm. Frame size: 5 mm x 5 mm. Frame thickness: 200 µm.	Alternate source: SPI Supplies / Structure Probe, Inc. West Chester, PA.
Reverse tweezers	Electron Microscopy Sciences, P.O. Box 550, 1560 Industry Road, Hatfield, PA 19440, Tel: 215-412-8400, Toll Free: 800-523-5874, Fax: 215-412-8450	78520-5X	EMS 5X, NC – Ultra Fine Tweezers
Rubber grid mat	Electron Microscopy Sciences, P.O. Box 550, 1560 Industry Road, Hatfield, PA 19440, Tel: 215-412-8400, Toll Free: 800-523-5874, Fax: 215-412-8450	71170	Round Grid Mat
Acetic acid	Sigma-Aldrich, 3050 Spruce St., St. Louis, MO 63103, Tel: 800-325-3010, Fax: 800-325-5052	338826	trace metals grade concentrated acetic acid
PIPES buffer	Sigma-Aldrich, 3050 Spruce St., St. Louis, MO 63103, Tel: 800-325-3010, Fax: 800-325-5052	P6757	solid PIPES buffer
Formaldehyde stock solution	Electron Microscopy Sciences, P.O. Box 550, 1560 Industry Road, Hatfield, PA 19440, Tel: 215-412-8400, Toll Free: 800-523-5874, Fax: 215-412-8450	RT 17113	10 x 10 ml ampules of 20% aqueous paraformaldehyde