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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy
08:41

Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: June 27, 2013

Experimental validation of atomic force microscopy-based cell elasticity measurements.

Andrew R Harris1, G T Charras

  • 1London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London WC1H 0AH, UK.

Nanotechnology
|July 29, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements of cell elasticity can be inaccurate. Pyramidal tips overestimate elasticity due to underestimated contact area, necessitating re-evaluation of published data.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Mechanics
  • Microscopy

Background:

  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a common technique for measuring living cell elasticity.
  • Reported AFM elasticity values vary widely (100 Pa–100 kPa) and differ from other methods.
  • Tip geometry influences AFM elasticity measurements, with pyramidal tips yielding higher values than spherical tips.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the accuracy of contact mechanics models used in AFM elasticity measurements.
  • To directly measure the tip-cell contact area and indentation depth during AFM experiments.
  • To identify sources of error in AFM-based cell elasticity measurements, particularly concerning tip geometry.

Main Methods:

  • Combined Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and confocal microscopy were used.

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Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid
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Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid

Published on: December 2, 2022

Micro-Mechanical Characterization of Lung Tissue Using Atomic Force Microscopy
11:10

Micro-Mechanical Characterization of Lung Tissue Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: August 28, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 30, 2026

Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy
08:41

Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: June 27, 2013

Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid
08:58

Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid

Published on: December 2, 2022

Micro-Mechanical Characterization of Lung Tissue Using Atomic Force Microscopy
11:10

Micro-Mechanical Characterization of Lung Tissue Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: August 28, 2011

  • Epithelial cells expressing a GFP-tagged membrane marker were utilized.
  • Experimentally measured indentation geometry and depth were compared with AFM force-indentation curve analyses.

    • Main Results:

    • For spherical tips, the experimentally measured contact area closely matched predicted values.
    • For pyramidal tips, contact area was significantly underestimated at forces >0.2 nN.
    • This underestimation led to a >2-fold overestimation of cell elasticity when using pyramidal tips.

    Conclusions:

    • Standard AFM contact mechanics models may overestimate cell elasticity, especially with pyramidal tips.
    • A re-examination of previously reported cellular elasticity values obtained via AFM may be required.
    • Guidelines are proposed to mitigate measurement artifacts and improve the accuracy of AFM elasticity measurements.