Sample preparation procedures for biological atomic force microscopy

K. El Kirat (1) , I. Burton (2) , V. Dupres (2) , Y. Dufrene (2)

1 BIM - Biomécanique et génie biomédical
2 UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain

Since the late 1980s, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been increasingly used in biological sciences and it is now established as a versatile tool to address the structure, properties and functions of biological specimens. AFM is unique in that it provides three‐dimensional images of biological structures, including biomolecules, lipid films, 2D protein crystals and cells, under physiological conditions and with unprecedented resolution. A crucial prerequisite for successful, reliable biological AFM is that the samples need to be well attached to a solid substrate using appropriate, nondestructive methods. In this review, we discuss common techniques for immobilizing biological specimens for AFM studies.

Mots clés: Atomic force microscopy; biological samples; substrates; immobilization; imaging

Domaines: Biochimie [q-bio.BM]

K. El Kirat, I. Burton, V. Dupres, Y. Dufrene. Sample preparation procedures for biological atomic force microscopy. Journal of Microscopy, 2005, 218 (3), pp.199-207. ⟨10.1111/j.1365-2818.2005.01480.x⟩. ⟨hal-00017269⟩