Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

From molecules to cells: imaging soft samples with the atomic force microscope.

M Radmacher1, R W Tillamnn, M Fritz

  • 1Physikdepartment, Technische Universität München, 8046 Garching, Germany.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|September 25, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Shallow coastal zones are key mediators in Arctic land-ocean carbon fluxes.

Communications earth & environment·2025
Same author

[Cognition and driving ability in chronic pain syndrome].

Der Nervenarzt·2022
Same author

Double power-law viscoelastic relaxation of living cells encodes motility trends.

Scientific reports·2020
Same author

Climatic, geomorphologic and hydrologic perturbations as drivers for mid- to late Holocene development of ice-wedge polygons in the western Canadian Arctic.

Permafrost and periglacial processes·2019
Same author

Influence of microenvironment topography and stiffness on the mechanics and motility of normal and cancer renal cells.

Nanoscale·2017
Same author

A retrospective analysis of 509 consecutive interscalene catheter insertions for ambulatory surgery.

Anaesthesia·2014
Same journal

Erratum for the Research Article "Detecting supramolecular organic nanoparticles during heat wave".

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Local signals, systemic decline.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

The mechanics of liver regeneration.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Computing in a memory with physics.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Retraction.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Making time.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
See all related articles

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images hard samples well, but soft organic samples remain challenging. New AFM methods now enable high-resolution imaging and micromechanical property mapping of soft materials like living cells.

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Biophysics
  • Surface Science

Background:

  • Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a powerful near-field technique for high-resolution surface imaging.
  • While effective for hard samples, imaging soft biological and organic materials with AFM presents significant challenges.
  • Advancements are needed to overcome limitations in resolving and characterizing soft sample properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) applications for organic samples.
  • To discuss fundamental image formation mechanisms in AFM for soft matter.
  • To introduce novel AFM imaging modes for local micromechanical property measurements.

Main Methods:

  • Application of AFM to ordered thin films and living cells.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Discussion of tip-sample interaction mechanisms for image formation.
  • Introduction of novel imaging modes for viscoelasticity and friction mapping.

    • Main Results:

    • AFM successfully imaged thin ordered films at molecular resolution.
    • Novel imaging modes allow for local measurements of micromechanical properties.
    • Viscoelasticity and friction coefficients of Langmuir-Blodgett films were mapped.

    Conclusions:

    • AFM is increasingly applied to diverse organic samples, from films to cells.
    • New AFM techniques enhance the characterization of soft matter properties.
    • AFM provides valuable insights into the micromechanical behavior of organic materials.