title: High-resolution morphological identification and characterization of living neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells by hopping probe ion conductance microscopy.
abstract: It is well known that heterogeneous neuroblastoma (NB) has three different phenotypic variants; the differentiation and transdifferentiation among them increase the complexity of this cancer. However, high-resolution characterization of their morphology has not been addressed by conventional microscopy. Under the help of high-resolution hopping probe ion conductance microscopy, we demonstrated that three morphologically distinct cell populations exist in live NB SK-N-SH cell line. Among these three types cells, N-type cells had the smallest cell volume and the biggest height, S-type owned the biggest cell volume and the smallest height, and I-type was intermediate between N- and S-type. The difference of microvilli morphology rendered I- and N-type cells with a higher RMS than S-type cells. These high-resolution morphologic criteria can provide more direct information to distinguish different cell types in NB tumor, and may give a hand to the development of new therapies and diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: China National Academy of Nanotechnology and Engineering, Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaofan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hujie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jianning
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yanjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008871:Microvilli / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology