Application of atomic force microscopy for investigation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase signal-transducing function.

The Young's modulus of 10-12-day-old chick embryos' sensory neurons cultivated in dissociated cell culture was measured using a PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping atomic force microscopy. The native cells were tested in control experiments and after application of ouabain. At low "endogenous" concentration of 10⁻¹⁰ M, ouabain tended to increase the rigidity of sensory neurons. We hypothesize that this trend resulted from activation of Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase signal-transducing function.