The science related to biomaterials and tissue engineering accounts for a growing part of our knowledge. Surface modifications of biomaterials, their performance in vitro, and the interaction between them and surrounding tissues are gaining more and more attention. It is because we are interested in finding sophisticated materials that help us to treat or mitigate different disorders. Therefore, efficient methods for surface analysis are needed. Several methods are routinely applied to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the biomaterial surface. Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) techniques are able to measure the information about molecular composition simultaneously from biomaterial and adjacent tissue. That is why it can answer the questions connected with biomaterial characteristics and their biological influence. Moreover, this kind of analysis does not demand any antibodies or dyes that may influence the studied items. It means that we can correlate surface chemistry with a biological response without any modification that could distort the image. In our review, we presented examples of biomaterials analyzed by MSI techniques to indicate the utility of SIMS, MALDI, and DESI—three major ones in the field of biomaterials applications. Examples include biomaterials used to treat vascular system diseases, bone implants with the effects of implanted material on adjacent tissues, nanofibers and membranes monitored by mass spectrometry-related techniques, analyses of drug-eluting long-acting parenteral (LAPs) implants and microspheres where MSI serves as a quality control system.

Hexoses, particularly glucose, are one of the most essential molecules for sustaining life; therefore, reliable methods for their analysis are very important. In our study, we present a qualitative and quantitative approach for analysing hexoses using MALDI IMS (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging) with betaine aldehyde derivatisation and a CHCA (α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid) matrix in positive ionisation mode. In this study, we demonstrated betaine aldehyde derivatisation of glucose from dried droplets and explored the analysis of hexoses in brain and liver tissue slices. We assessed whether our method could distinguish between mannose, galactose, glucose, and fructose and optimised the preparation of a biomimetic calibration curve using stable-isotope labelled glucose for hexose analysis. For this purpose, we investigated the number of betaine aldehyde layers required to obtain a proper calibration curve; examined whether changes in the spray nozzle position during CHCA matrix deposition could facilitate analysis and investigated how storage conditions influenced the calibration curve analysis. Finally, we optimised the technique for liver and brain analysis and assessed variations in hexose levels between brain, liver, kidney, and spinal cord tissues from control and morphine-addicted animals. We hope that our biomimetic approach to creating the calibration curve will be helpful for quantitative analysis and aid in developing various quantitative methods for assessing endogenous substances.

Glucose is one of the most essential molecules for sustaining life thus, appropriate and trusted methods of analysis are very welcome. In our study, we have tested two ways of glucose analysis by the MALDI IMS approach: one well-known with NEDC matrix in a negative ionization mode and one developed by us with betaine aldehyde derivatization in positive ionization mode with the aid of CHCA matrix. To our surprise, even though both methods should indicate the localization of the same molecule on adjacent tissue sections and produce the same ion maps, we obtained different results. In this study, we tested the idea that maybe one of the techniques is sensitive to a certain hexose. This would be good news because it would mean having a selective technique for analyzing different hexoses. We performed the dried droplet analyses of glucose, galactose, mannose, and fructose either with betaine aldehyde derivatization or with NEDC matrix and compared the results with the analyses from the tissue. Judging from the MS/MS spectra of analyzed molecules and comparing them with MS/MS spectra from the tissue, it is impossible to distinguish between different hexoses, maybe except fructose. In the article we discussed some ideas that could be responsible for the difference in ion maps of native glucose. Moreover, we highlight the advantages and disadvantages of both analytical approaches. Nevertheless, the question of why ion maps for glucose, obtained by the NEDC matrix and betaine aldehyde derivatization are different, remains open.