Imaging surface and submembranous structures with the atomic force microscope: a study on living cancer cells, fibroblasts and macrophages

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to image a wide variety of cells. Fixed and dried‐coated, wet‐fixed or living cells were investigated. The major advantage of AFM over SEM is the avoidance of vacuum and electrons, whereas imaging can be done at environmental pressure and in aqueous conditions. Evidence of the successful application of AFM in biological imaging is provided by comparing results of AFM with SEM and/or TEM. In this study, we investigated surface and submembranous structures of living and glutaraldehyde‐fixed colon carcinoma cells, skin fibroblasts and liver macrophages by AFM. Special attention was paid to the correct conditions for the acquisition of images of the surface of these cells, because quality SEM examinations have already been abundantly presented.

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