A method of laser ablation mass cytometry analysis using a laser ablation mass cytometer, the method comprising: a) directing pulses of a laser beam to a plurality of sites of a sample for generating an ablated plume of sample for each of the pulses; b) capturing each ablated plume distinctively; c) transferring each of the distinctively captured ablated plumes to an inductively coupled plasma; and d) ionizing each of the distinctively captured and transferred ablated plumes in the ICP, thereby generating ions for mass cytometry analysis, wherein the laser ablation mass cytometer comprises: a laser ablation source for generating ablated plumes from a sample, comprising a stage to hold the sample, wherein the stage is movable x-y or x-y-z dimensions; an ICP source for producing the ICP; and an injector adapted to transfer the ablated plumes to the ICP; the injector having an injector inlet positioned within the laser ablation source, the injector inlet being configured for capturing the ablated plumes, wherein the injector inlet is optionally configured for capturing all or part of the ablated plume as the ablated plume is generated; and a gas inlet coupled to the injector inlet configured to pass a gas from the gas inlet to the injector inlet for transferring the captured ablated plume into the ICP; and wherein the injector inlet has the form of a sample cone, wherein the narrower portion of the cone is the aperture of the injector inlet, and wherein the sample cone is positioned 10μm to 1000μm from the area where the ablated plume is generated. a) directing pulses of a laser beam to a plurality of sites of a sample for generating an ablated plume of sample for each of the pulses; b) capturing each ablated plume distinctively; c) transferring each of the distinctively captured ablated plumes to an inductively coupled plasma; and d) ionizing each of the distinctively captured and transferred ablated plumes in the ICP, thereby generating ions for mass cytometry analysis, wherein the laser ablation mass cytometer comprises: a laser ablation source for generating ablated plumes from a sample, comprising a stage to hold the sample, wherein the stage is movable x-y or x-y-z dimensions; an ICP source for producing the ICP; and an injector adapted to transfer the ablated plumes to the ICP; the injector having an injector inlet positioned within the laser ablation source, the injector inlet being configured for capturing the ablated plumes, wherein the injector inlet is optionally configured for capturing all or part of the ablated plume as the ablated plume is generated; and a gas inlet coupled to the injector inlet configured to pass a gas from the gas inlet to the injector inlet for transferring the captured ablated plume into the ICP; and wherein the injector inlet has the form of a sample cone, wherein the narrower portion of the cone is the aperture of the injector inlet, and wherein the sample cone is positioned 10μm to 1000μm from the area where the ablated plume is generated. a laser ablation source for generating ablated plumes from a sample, comprising a stage to hold the sample, wherein the stage is movable x-y or x-y-z dimensions; an ICP source for producing the ICP; and an injector adapted to transfer the ablated plumes to the ICP; the injector having an injector inlet positioned within the laser ablation source, the injector inlet being configured for capturing the ablated plumes, wherein the injector inlet is optionally configured for capturing all or part of the ablated plume as the ablated plume is generated; and a gas inlet coupled to the injector inlet configured to pass a gas from the gas inlet to the injector inlet for transferring the captured ablated plume into the ICP; and wherein the injector inlet has the form of a sample cone, wherein the narrower portion of the cone is the aperture of the injector inlet, and wherein the sample cone is positioned 10μm to 1000μm from the area where the ablated plume is generated.