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Nanopipette Fabrication Guidelines for SICM Nanoscale Imaging
Yasufumi Takahashi1,2, Yuya Sasaki3, Takeshi Yoshida2
1Department of Electronics, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan.
Analytical Chemistry
|August 21, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed a simple method for fabricating nanopipettes for scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM). This advance enables high-resolution nanoscale imaging of cell surface dynamics, improving our understanding of cell communication.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) offers potential for visualizing nanoscale cell surface topography dynamics.
- Current limitations in nanopipette fabrication hinder SICM's spatial resolution, restricting imaging to the submicron scale.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a simple, reproducible method for fabricating nanopipettes with sub-20 nm apertures for enhanced SICM imaging.
- To demonstrate the improved spatial resolution of SICM using the new nanopipette fabrication technique.
Main Methods:
- Developed a straightforward and highly reproducible protocol for creating nanopipettes with apertures smaller than 20 nm.
- Utilized time-lapse imaging to observe nanoscale dynamic events, such as endocytic pit formation and disappearance.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated nanopipettes with sub-20 nm apertures, significantly improving SICM spatial resolution.
- Achieved high-resolution, time-lapse imaging of nanoscale topographic changes, including endocytic pits.
- Visualized the localization of hotspots and the release of extracellular vesicles with unprecedented detail.
Conclusions:
- The developed nanopipette fabrication guidelines are crucial for advancing SICM nanoscale topographic imaging.
- This methodology provides essential tools for deeper insights into cell-cell communication mechanisms.
