title: Atomic force microscopy: a tool to analyze the structural organization of pathogenic protozoa.
abstract: The fine structure of parasitic protozoa has been the subject of intense investigation with the use of electron microscopy. The recent development of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and all of the techniques associated with AFM has created new ways to further analyze the structure of cells. In this review, the various, presently-available modalities of AFM are discussed, as well as the results obtained in analysis of: (i) the structure of intact and detergent-extracted protozoa; (ii) the surface of infected cells; (iii) the structure of parasite macromolecules; (iv) the measurement of surface potential; and (v) force spectroscopy, the measurement of elasticity and ligand-receptor interactions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho and Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brasil. wsouza@biof.ufrj.br
authors.forename: Wanderley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Gustavo M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D056890:Eukaryota / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force