title: Nanotechnology and membrane receptors: focus on angiotensin II receptors.
abstract: The use of a functionalized tip to measure the force of the interaction between ligands and receptors by atomic force microscopy has been discussed for more than a decade, and single-molecule recognition using a functionalized tip from processed samples is achievable now. Techniques for detecting and characterizing specific individual molecules from a living cell are still developing and are discussed in this article. Because many diseases have their roots at the molecular scale and are best understood as a malfunctioning of biologic nanomachines, these techniques should find widespread use in basic biomedical research once the remaining barriers are overcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 348 Benedum Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Guangyong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Donna H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D049329:Nanostructures; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000737:chemistry*