Skip to main content

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for Topography and Recognition Imaging at Single Molecule Level

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Biophysics

Synonyms

Simultaneous topography and recognition imaging (TREC); Single-molecule methods

Definition

High-resolution AFM topography imaging becomes a powerful bioanalytic tool when combined with single-molecule force spectroscopy or with simultaneous “topography and recognition imaging” (TREC). This new imaging method allows for mapping of specific ligand binding sites on biological samples under physiological conditions with nanometer resolution.

Introduction

Atomic force microcopy (AFM) is a version member of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) that is extensively used in solid-state physics and materials science within the life sciences because it can be operated in physiological salt solution. In AFM imaging, a sharp probe tip mounted on a microcantilever scans over the specimen line by line, whereby the topographic image of the sample surface is generated by “feeling” rather than “looking.” Tips with high sharpness provide high resolution and cantilevers with low spring constants allow...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 999.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 1,099.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bhushan B, Marti O. Scanning probe microscopy-principle of operation, instrumentation, and probes. In: Bhushan B, editor. Handbook of nanotechnology. 3rd ed. Heidelberg: Springer; 2010. p. 573–617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chtcheglova LA, Waschke J, Wildling L, Drenckhahn D, Hinterdorfer P. Nano-scale dynamic recognition imaging on vascular endothelial cells. Biophys J. 2007;93:L11–3.

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ebner A, Kienberger F, Kada G, Stroh CM, Geretschlager M, Kamruzzahan ASM, Wildling L, Johnson WT, Ashcroft B, Nelson J, Lindsay SM, Gruber HJ, Hinterdorfer P. Localization of single avidin-biotin interactions using simultaneous topography and molecular recognition imaging. Chemphyschem. 2005;6:897–900.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ebner A, Wildling L, Zhu R, Rankl C, Haselgrubler T, Hinterdorfer P, Gruber HJ. Functionalization of probe tips and supports for single-molecule recognition force microscopy. Top Curr Chem. 2008;285:29–76.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Florin EL, Moy VT, Gaub HE. Adhesion forces between individual ligand-receptor pairs. Science. 1994;264:415–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Francis LW, Lewis PD, Wright CJ, Conlan RS. Atomic force microscopy comes of age. Biol Cell. 2009;102:133–43.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Han W, Lindsay SM, Jing TW. A magnetically driven oscillating probe microscope for operation in liquids. Appl Phys Lett. 1996;69:4111–3.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han W, Lindsay SM, Dlakic M, Harrington RE. Kinked DNA. Nature. 1997;386:563.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hinterdorfer P, Dufrene YF. Detection and localization of single molecular recognition events using atomic force microscopy. Nat Meth. 2006;3:347–55.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hinterdorfer P, Baumgartner W, Gruber HJ, Schilcher K, Schindler H. Detection and localization of individual antibody-antigen recognition events by atomic force microscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 1996;93:3477–81.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Horber JK, Miles MJ. Scanning probe evolution in biology. Science. 2003;302:1002–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huber C, Liu J, Egelseer EM, Moll D, Knoll W, Sleytr UB, Sara M. Heterotetramers formed by an S-layer–streptavidin fusion protein and core-streptavidin as a nanoarrayed template for biochip development. Small. 2006;2:142–50.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee GU, Chrisey LA, Colton RJ. Direct measurement of the forces between complementary strands of DNA. Science. 1994;266:771–3.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muller DJ. AFM: a nanotool in membrane biology. Biochemistry. 2008;47:7986–98.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Preiner J, Ebner A, Chtcheglova L, Zhu R, Hinterdorfer P. Simultaneous topography and recognition imaging: physical aspects and optimal imaging conditions. Nanotechnol. 2009;20:215103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putman CAJ, Van der Werf KO, De Grooth BG, Van Hulst NF, Greve J. Tapping mode atomic force microscopy in liquid. Appl Phys Lett. 1994;64:2454–6.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raab A, Han W, Badt D, Smith-Gill SJ, Lindsay SM, Schindler H, Hinterdorfer P. Antibody recognition imaging by force microscopy. Nat Biotechnol. 1999;17:901–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rankl C, Kienberger F, Wildling L, Wruss J, Gruber JH, Blass D, Hinterdorfer P. Multiple receptors involved in human rhinovirus attachment to live cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2008;105:17778–83.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stroh CM, Ebner A, Geretschlager M, Freudenthaler G, Kienberger F, Kamruzzahan AS, Smith-Gill SJ, Gruber HJ, Hinterdorfer P. Simultaneous topography and recognition imaging using force microscopy. Biophys J. 2004a;87:1981–90.

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stroh CM, Wang H, Bash R, Ashcroft B, Nelson J, Gruber H, Lohr D, Lindsay SM, Hinterdorfer P. Single-molecule recognition imaging microscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2004b;101:12503–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tang J, Ebner A, Badelt-Lichtblau H, Voellenkle C, Rankl C, Kraxberger B, Leitner M, Wildling L, Gruber HJ, Sleytr UB, Ilk N, Hinterdorfer P. Recognition imaging and highly ordered molecular templating of bacterial s-layer nanoarrays containing affinity-tags. NanoLetters. 2008a;8:4312–9.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang J, Ebner A, Ilk N, Badelt-Lichtblau H, Huber C, Zhu R, Pum D, Leitner M, Pastushenko V, Gruber HJ, Sleytr UB, Hinterdorfer P. High-affinity tags fused to s-layer proteins probed by atomic force microscopy. Langmuir. 2008b;24:1324–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • You HX, Lau JM, Zhang S, Yu L. Atomic force microscopy imaging of living cells: a preliminary study of the disruptive effect of the cantilever tip on cell morphology. Ultramicroscopy. 2000;82:297–305.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Memed Duman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 European Biophysical Societies' Association (EBSA)

About this entry

Cite this entry

Duman, M. et al. (2013). Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for Topography and Recognition Imaging at Single Molecule Level. In: Roberts, G.C.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Biophysics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16712-6_496

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics