We report an approach to spatially resolve the content across nanometer neuroendocrine vesicles in nerve-like cells by correlating super high-resolution mass spectrometry imaging, NanoSIMS, with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, intracellular electrochemical cytometry at nanotip electrodes is used to count the number of molecules in individual vesicles to compare to imaged amounts in vesicles. Correlation between the NanoSIMS and TEM provides nanometer resolution of the inner structure of these organelles. Moreover, correlation with electrochemical methods provides a means to quantify and relate vesicle neurotransmitter content and release, which is used to explain the slow transfer of dopamine between vesicular compartments. These nanoanalytical tools reveal that dopamine loading/unloading between vesicular compartments, dense core and halo solution, is a kinetically limited process. The combination of NanoSIMS and TEM has been used to show the distribution profile of newly synthesized dopamine across individual vesicles. Our findings suggest that the vesicle inner morphology might regulate the neurotransmitter release event during open and closed exocytosis from dense core vesicles with hours of equilibrium needed to move significant amounts of catecholamine from the protein dense core despite its nanometer size. KEYWORDS: nanoimaging, NanoSIMS, vesicle content, electrochemistry, nanocompartments C hemical communication in eukaryotic cells relies heavily on loading and trafficking of secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. Upon stimulation, the loaded, docked secretory vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane and discharge their neurotransmitter cargo into the extracellular space. This process, called exocytosis, is fundamental and highly regulated. 1,2 Regulation of exocytosis has been widely studied, and the understanding of its mechanism is still under debate. Several mechanisms have been reported such as all-or-nothing release during which vesicles completely fuse with the plasma membrane and release their total content. 3 Contrary to the all-or-nothing mode, partial release mechanisms have been proposed, suggesting the transient opening of the fusion pore between the cell membrane and secretory vesicle followed by closing again. 4 In addition to the release event, exocytosis is also regulated through vesicle loading. In general, this process involves a neurotransmitter transporter, an integral vesicle membrane protein that uses the pH gradient across the vesicle membrane, to drive uptake of neurotransmitters into the vesicle. 5−8 Defining the vesicle storage mechanisms would be an important piece of the exocytosis regulation puzzle. 5,9,10 Several cell types have been employed for loading studies among which neuroendocrine cells have had an important role as a model system. They possess two types of secretory vesicles, synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs) and so-called large densecore vesicles (LDCVs). The larger LDCVs typically have diameters around 150−300 nm and an inner ...