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Related Concept Videos

Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

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...

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Near Simultaneous Laser Scanning Confocal and Atomic Force Microscopy (Conpokal) on Live Cells
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Optimized sample preparation for high-resolution AFM characterization of fixed human cells.

L W Francis1, D Gonzalez, T Ryder

  • 1Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.

Journal of Microscopy
|October 16, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides detailed cell surface topography and biophysical data. Optimized sample preparation enhances AFM

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Near Simultaneous Laser Scanning Confocal and Atomic Force Microscopy (Conpokal) on Live Cells
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Sample Preparation for Single Virion Atomic Force Microscopy and Super-resolution Fluorescence Imaging
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Sample Preparation for Single Virion Atomic Force Microscopy and Super-resolution Fluorescence Imaging

Published on: January 2, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Microscopy Techniques

Background:

  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers simultaneous high-resolution topographical and biophysical data acquisition.
  • AFM can integrate cell surface analysis with molecular and biophysical events during development and pathogenesis.
  • Current limitations exist in reproducible sample preparation for generalized AFM cellular analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To optimize sample preparation techniques for reproducible, multi-parameter AFM analysis of cell surfaces.
  • To compare AFM with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for tissue morphology and cell differentiation studies.
  • To investigate the utility of AFM for analyzing surface roughness and differentiating cell types.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyze endometrial epithelial cells and P19 neuronal cells.
  • Developed and optimized reproducible sample preparation protocols for micro- and nanoscale analysis.
  • Conducted comparative analysis of AFM topographical data with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images.

Main Results:

  • Optimized sample preparation enabled reproducible micro- and nanoscale multi-parameter AFM analysis.
  • AFM topographical data complemented SEM images at low resolution and revealed novel surface details at high resolution.
  • Surface roughness analysis using AFM provided quantitative biophysical data differentiating cell types.

Conclusions:

  • Optimized sample preparation significantly enhances the generalized utility of AFM for cellular analysis.
  • AFM is a powerful tool for detailed cell surface morphological studies, complementing SEM.
  • AFM-derived biophysical data, such as surface roughness, aids in distinguishing cells from different origins.