title: Living cell study at the single-molecule and single-cell levels by atomic force microscopy.
abstract: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been emerging as a multifunctional molecular tool in nanobiology and nanomedicine. This review summarizes the recent advances in AFM study of living mammalian cells at the single-molecule and single-cell levels. Besides nanoscale imaging of cell membrane structure, AFM-based force measurements on living cells are mainly discussed. These include the development and application of single-molecule force spectroscopy to investigate ligand-receptor binding strength and dissociation dynamics, and the characterization of cell mechanical properties in a physiological environment. Molecular manipulation of cells by AFM to change the cellular process is also described. Living-cell AFM study offers a new approach to understand the molecular mechanisms of cell function, disease development and drug effect, as well as to develop new strategies to achieve single-cell-based diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2 Zhongguancun North First Street, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xuejie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands