A combined optical and atomic force microscope for live cell investigations
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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Live Cell Response to Mechanical Stimulation Studied by Integrated Optical and Atomic Force Microscopy
Published on: October 4, 2010
Josef Madl1, Sebastian Rhode, Herbert Stangl
1Institute for Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
Abstract:
We present an easy-to-use combination of an atomic force microscope (AFM) and an epi-fluorescence microscope, which allows live cell imaging under physiological conditions. High-resolution AFM images were acquired while simultaneously monitoring either the fluorescence image of labeled membrane components, or a high-contrast optical image (DIC, differential interference contrast). By applying two complementary techniques at the same time, additional information and correlations between structure and function of living organisms were obtained. The synergy effects between fluorescence imaging and AFM were further demonstrated by probing fluorescence-labeled receptor clusters in the cell membrane via force spectroscopy using antibody-functionalized tips. The binding probability on receptor-containing areas identified with fluorescence microscopy ("receptor-positive sites") was significantly higher than that on sites lacking receptors.
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