Visualization of intracellular elements by scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy. Application for cell biology and medicine

Recent technological advances have made it possible to analyze the elements in the body precisely using an attogram scale. These elements are derived from those in the universe around us, suggesting that our body is part of that universe. Thus, it is natural that elements (i.e., minerals and metals) are essential for a healthy body. On the other hand, the intracellular distribution of elements and its function are not well understood, although many studies related to proteins and nucleic acids have been conducted at the molecular level. In this review, we describe the development of a scanning X-ray fluorescence microscope system that can reliably determine the cellular distribution of multiple elements with high spatial resolution. Visualizing intracellular elements and understanding their kinetics may provide great insight into the behaviors of elements at the molecular level in biology and medicine. (author)