Related Experiment Videos
Membrane deformation of living glial cells using atomic force microscopy
P G Haydon1, R Lartius, V Parpura
1Department of Zoology and Genetics, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA. pghaydon@iastate.edu
Journal of Microscopy
|May 1, 1996
Summary
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can detect sub-membrane actin in living cells. Standard AFM tips deform the cell membrane without penetration, preserving cell physiology and revealing intracellular structures.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to image cellular structures.
- Detecting sub-membrane structures like actin filaments with AFM requires understanding tip-cell interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips penetrate or deform the cell membrane.
- To assess the impact of AFM on cell viability and intracellular content.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring intracellular fluorescent dye (fluo-3) leakage during AFM to detect membrane penetration.
- Analyzing force-distance curves to differentiate between membrane deformation and penetration.
- Assessing cell physiology, including volume regulatory mechanisms, after AFM application.
Main Results:
- AFM did not cause significant leakage of intracellular fluorescent dye.
- Force-distance curves indicated that standard AFM tips deformed the cell membrane, while sharper tips penetrated it.
- Cellular physiology remained intact when using standard AFM tips.
Conclusions:
- Standard AFM tips interact with the cell membrane through deformation, not penetration.
- This membrane deformation allows for the detection of sub-membrane structures like actin filaments without compromising cell integrity.
- AFM is a viable tool for studying sub-membrane structures in living cells when using appropriate tips.