Scanning probe microscopy for the characterization of biomaterials and biological interactions

The scanning probe microscopies provide a unique view of biological and biomedical systems at a nanoscale appropriate to appreciate molecular events. The advent of these methods has brought the ability to acquire quantitative information at the molecular level. Given the proliferation of microscopes and associated methods, the probability for important discoveries is high. If tempered with an appreciation for the potential for artifacts, the SPMs may revolutionize our view of biological systems and biomaterials interactions with those systems.