Alexandre Berquand, Applications Scientist at Veeco, in partnership with the Holloschi Group at Hochschule Mannheim, have published a paper in the March issue of Microscopy Today titled: Analysis of Cytoskeleton-Destabilizing Agents by Optimized Optical Navigation and AFM Force Measurements. (Attached)
This paper is relevant to any one who works with, or intends to work with, cells. The article specifically relates to cancer research but many mechanisms (ie apoptosis, tissue aging, degenerescence, or cardiovascular diseases) also imply a change in elasticity.
This paper is important because being able to measure elasticity on live cells is important for investigation of cellular mechanisms and/or diseases. For Life Science researchers, the AFM uniquely enables inter- and intra- cellular mechanical property measurements. Correlating AFM and optics (MIRO) allows researchers to identify and target the best locations to perform such measurements. In this study, we investigate the effects of 2 cytoskeleton-disrupting agents in real time, on different types of living cells. These results may open the way to many exciting discoveries in the field of cancer research, or any application field where elasticity measurements are involved in cellular mechanisms.
You can learn more by reading Veeco application notes AN117 & AN118 AFM and Nuerodegenerative Diseases Part1 & 2, AN125 Characterizing Anticytoskeletal Drugs on Living Cells Using MIRO and BioScope Catalyst AFM, or by contacting Alex Berquand.