中国科学院重庆绿色智能技术研究院机构知识库

Physicochemical properties such as cell morphology, cell elasticity and cell adhesion of live cells are different when cells are under different physiological conditions. Therefore, these physicochemical properties can reflect complex physiological processes occurred in cells. Atomic force microscope (AFM) has super spacious imaging resolution and high force resolution (pico-Newton) in mechanical measurements, and can work in near-physiological conditions to observe ultrastructure of cell surface and measure cytomechanics. Consequently, AFM is widely regarded as an ideal tool to investigate physicochemical properties of cells. In this review, principles, traditional operation modes and applications of traditional AFM in the study of cell physicochemical properties are briefly introduced. Particular emphasis is given on the applications of newly-developed AFM techniques including imaging and cytomechanics in the study of cell physicochemical properties. © 2016, Editorial Board of “Journal of Chemical Engineering of Chinese Universities”. All right reserved.

在不同生理状态下,细胞的形态、弹性和黏附性等物化特性会发生改变,这些变化反映细胞复杂的生物学过程。原子力显微镜(atomic force microscope,AFM)具有原子级成像分辨率和皮牛级力学分辨率,可以在近生理条件下对细胞进行高分辨形貌成像和力学性能测量,因此可以很好地用来研究细胞的上述物化特性。文章首先扼要介绍AFM的基本工作原理和基本工作模式,而后对传统AFM在细胞成像和力学测量相关物化性质方面的应用进行了简要总结,最后重点介绍了新型AFM技术在细胞成像和力学测量方面研究的最新进展。