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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Automation of Bio-Atomic Force Microscope Measurements on Hundreds of C. albicans Cells

Automation of Bio-Atomic Force Microscope Measurements on Hundreds of C. albicans Cells

Published on: April 2, 2021

Quantification of cell-substratum interactions by atomic force microscopy.

Qian Li¹, Thomas Becker², Wolfgang Sand³

¹Biofilm Centre, Aquatische Biotechnologie, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.

Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces

|September 3, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers quantified microbial adhesion forces using atomic force microscopy (AFM) with specialized cantilevers. This method accurately measures cell-substratum interactions without damaging the cells, crucial for understanding biofilm formation.

Keywords:

AFM Cell/biofilm-substratum New method for quantifying interactions

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Last Updated: Feb 23, 2026

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Quantification of Cell-Substrate Adhesion Area and Cell Shape Distributions in MCF7 Cell Monolayers

Quantification of Cell-Substrate Adhesion Area and Cell Shape Distributions in MCF7 Cell Monolayers

Published on: June 24, 2020

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biotechnology
Environmental Science
Medicine

Background:

Microbial adhesion to surfaces is a critical initial step in biofilm formation.
Understanding cell-substratum interactions is vital across biotechnology, environmental science, and medicine.
Current methods for quantifying adhesion forces may involve denaturing chemicals, potentially altering natural interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantify the adhesion forces between Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans cells and the pyrite substratum.
To develop and apply a novel technique for measuring cell-substratum adhesion forces under natural conditions.
To compare adhesion forces of planktonic and biofilm cells.

Main Methods:

Utilized force mapping-based atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Employed pyrite-modified cantilevers for specific substratum interaction.
Quantified adhesion forces without the use of denaturing agents like glutaraldehyde.

Main Results:

Measured adhesion force between planktonic Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans cells and pyrite as 2.6±0.3 nN.
Measured adhesion force between biofilm Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans cells and pyrite as 77.3±7.1 pN.
Demonstrated a unique technique for quantifying real interaction forces under natural conditions.

Conclusions:

The developed AFM technique allows for accurate quantification of microbial cell-substratum adhesion forces.
Biofilm cells exhibit significantly higher adhesion forces to pyrite compared to planktonic cells.
This method provides artifact-free measurements essential for studying microbial adhesion and biofilm development.