Atomic Force Microscopy in Characterizing Cell Mechanics for Biomedical Applications: A Review

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Cell mechanics serve as a novel, label-free biomarker for cell states and pathological changes.
• Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful tool for quantifying the mechanical properties of single living cells.
• AFM has provided significant insights into disease development, particularly cancer, demonstrating its biomedical potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of AFM in characterizing cell mechanics.
• To present the principles and methods of AFM single-cell mechanical analysis.
• To analyze molecular mechanisms and discuss future directions in cell mechanics research.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature on AFM for cell mechanics.
• Presentation of AFM principles and single-cell mechanical analysis techniques.
• Analysis of cell mechanical responses to external stimuli.

Main Results:

• AFM reveals unique cell mechanical changes in stem cell differentiation and cancer metastasis.
• Characterization of mechanical properties of living cells in aqueous environments.
• Insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cell mechanics.

Conclusions:

• AFM is a valuable tool for understanding cell mechanics and its role in physiological and pathological processes.
• Cell mechanics, as measured by AFM, holds significant potential for biomedical applications.
• Further research is needed to address challenges and explore future directions in AFM-based cell mechanics.