The applications of atomic force microscopy to vision science.
The atomic force microscope (AFM) is widely used in materials science and has found many applications in biological sciences but has been limited in use in vision science. The AFM can be used to image the topography of soft biological materials in their native environments. It can also be used to probe the mechanical properties of cells and extracellular matrices, including their intrinsic elastic modulus and receptor-ligand interactions. In this review, the operation of the AFM is described along with a review of how it has been thus far used in vision science. It is hoped that this review will serve to stimulate vision scientists to consider incorporating AFM as part of their research toolkit.
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Julie A
JA
Last
Paul
P
Russell
Paul F
PF
Nealey
Christopher J
CJ
Murphy
D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties
D005136:Eye Proteins