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Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Bacterial Immobilization for Imaging by Atomic Force Microscopy

Bacterial Immobilization for Imaging by Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: August 10, 2011

Nanoscale imaging of microbial pathogens using atomic force microscopy.

David Alsteens¹, Etienne Dague, Claire Verbelen

¹Unité de Chimie des Interfaces, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2/18, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology

|January 6, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) enables high-resolution nanoscale imaging of microbes. This technique visualizes cell surfaces, monitors drug effects, and maps molecular interactions for pathogenesis research.

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Nanotechnology
Biophysics

Background:

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become a powerful tool for nanoscale microbial exploration.
AFM allows visualization of live cell surfaces under physiological conditions with high resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the application of AFM in microbial research.
To highlight AFM's capabilities in visualizing cell surface architecture, monitoring dynamic events, and analyzing molecular interactions.

Main Methods:

Topographic imaging to visualize surface structure.
Chemical force microscopy (CFM) to measure interaction forces and chemical heterogeneities.
Molecular recognition imaging (force spectroscopy, dynamic recognition, immunogold detection) to localize specific receptors.

Main Results:

AFM provides unprecedented resolution of live cell surfaces.
CFM can resolve nanoscale chemical heterogeneities and measure interaction forces.
Molecular recognition imaging enables localization of specific cell surface receptors.

Conclusions:

AFM offers noninvasive nanoscale analysis for microbial pathogenesis research.
AFM aids in investigating antimicrobial drug mechanisms and pathogen-host interactions.
This technology opens new avenues for understanding microbial behavior at the molecular level.