PyFMLab: Open-source software for atomic force microscopy microrheology data analysis

Area of Science:

• * Biophysics
• * Materials Science
• * Nanotechnology

Background:

• * Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is crucial for nanoscale mechanical characterization of biological samples and biomaterials.
• * Standardization of AFM data analysis is a significant challenge in the field.
• * Current open-source tools often lack support for microrheology data analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To develop an open-source software package, PyFMLab, for analyzing AFM data.
• * To enable the determination of viscoelastic properties from both force-distance curves and microrheology measurements.
• * To provide a versatile and standardized solution for AFM data processing.

Main Methods:

• * Developed PyFMLab using Python for accessibility and computational efficiency.
• * Organized software into modular libraries for improved readability, maintainability, and reusability.
• * Validated PyFMLab using AFM datasets from HeLa cells, including force curves and oscillatory measurements.

Main Results:

• * PyFMLab successfully determined viscoelastic parameters from AFM datasets.
• * Results obtained using PyFMLab were validated against proprietary software and existing MATLAB routines.
• * Achieved equivalent results to established methods, confirming software accuracy.

Conclusions:

• * PyFMLab offers an open-source solution for standardized viscoelastic characterization.
• * The software enhances the analysis of biological samples using AFM.
• * Its versatility supports both conventional force-distance curves and advanced microrheology measurements.