Microelectromechanical Microscope for Biological Analysis

用于生物分析的微机电显微镜

• 批准号: 9730997
• 负责人: George Morrison
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Cornell Univ - State: AWDS MADE PRIOR MAY 2010
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-03-01 至 2002-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9730997&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Microelectromechanical; Microscope; Biological; Analysis

The plasma membrane regulates many essential cellular processes such as active transport of molecules, enzymatic reactions, and signal transduction. In order to understand these fundamental processes, it is necessary to determine the structure of and the mechanisms at work in the plasma membrane. In recent years, the structure of the plasma membrane has been found to be considerably heterogeneous on a nanometer scale. The tiny scale of these dynamic membrane features has presented a major challenge to microscopists. A new super-resolution scanned probe optical microscope based on microelectromechanical systems will be constructed. Specifically, the objectives are to manufacture, characterize and optimize microelectromechanical sample mounts, to produce a scanning microscope using this technology and to apply this technology to the study of membrane structure and function. The new instrument will have the potential to address questions concerning the proximity of cell surface receptors, the extent of co- aggregation of lipid components, and the function of plasma membrane domains on a resolution scale of tens of nanometers.

质膜调节许多基本的细胞过程，如分子的主动转运、酶促反应和信号转导。为了理解这些基本过程，有必要确定质膜的结构和工作机制。近年来，已经发现质膜的结构在纳米尺度上是相当不均匀的。这些动态膜特征的微小尺度对显微镜学家提出了重大挑战。基于微机电系统的超分辨扫描探针光学显微镜将被构建。具体而言，目标是制造，表征和优化微机电样品架，生产使用这种技术的扫描显微镜，并将这种技术应用于膜结构和功能的研究。新仪器将有可能在数十纳米的分辨率尺度上解决有关细胞表面受体接近度、脂质成分共聚集程度以及质膜结构域功能的问题。