AI Article Synopsis
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is effective for imaging and measuring forces at the nanoscale but struggles with larger samples due to weak chemical bonds.
- New fabrication methods using focused ion beam technology created an AFM probe with a hook feature to enhance its functionality.
- This new probe was used to capture and test the strength of stress fibers in living cells, showcasing its potential for more precise mechanical measurements.
Article Abstract
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a highly successful technique for imaging nanometre-sized samples and measuring pico- to nano-newton forces acting between atoms and molecules. When it comes to the manipulation of larger samples with forces of tens and hundreds of nano-newtons, however, the present chemistry-based modification protocols for functionalizing AFM cantilevers to achieve the formation of covalent/non-covalent linkages between the AFM probe and the sample surface do not produce strong enough bonds. For the purpose of measuring the fracture strength and other mechanical properties of stress fibres (SFs) in living as well as semi-intact fibroblast cells, we fabricated an AFM probe with a hooking function by focused ion beam technology and used the AFM probe hook to capture, pull and eventually sever a chosen SF labelled with green or red fluorescent protein.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/21/38/385102 | DOI Listing |
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