SGER: Development of Molecular-Resolution Imaging of Cell-Surface Nanostructures in their Native Hydrated State

摘要CTS-9908864S。Banerjee和R.Lal，UCSB这项研究旨在揭示生物流动与细胞表面纳米结构相互作用的基本机制。将对细胞表面机械感受器进行原子力显微镜(AFM)扫描和亚纳米级成像。这些受体是纳米结构，在流动力的影响下经历三维分子构象变化，并诱导影响细胞和组织行为的级联生物反应。该项目致力于利用浸泡在水介质中的特殊改装的原子力显微镜对细胞表面的纳米结构进行直接的分子可视化。光学荧光将被用来对AFM测量的相同区域进行成像。AFM测量将与电泳学、免疫学和生化技术相结合，用于结构与功能的相关性研究。将对软组织的AFM进行必要的修改及其精度限制进行研究。将探索改进的AFM识别复杂样本(如细胞膜)中大分子亚组的能力。如果成功，建议的成像系统将提高浸泡在液体中的软组织的原子力显微镜的准确性，这与量化和了解细胞-血流相互作用和相关的电生理和生化反应有关。***

AbstractCTS-9908864S. Banerjee and R. Lal, UCSBThe investigation aims to uncover basic mechanisms by which biological flows interact with nanostructures on cell surfaces. Atomic force microscope (AFM) scanning and subnanometer-scale imaging of cell surface mechano-receptors will be performed. Those receptors are nanostructures that undergo three-dimensional molecular conformation changes under the influence of flow forces and induce cascades of biological responses that affect cell and tissue behavior. This project is focused on direct molecular visualization of nanostructures on cell surfaces by using a specially modified AFM immersed in an aqueous medium. Optical fluorescence will be used to image the same area measured with AFM. The AFM measurements will be combined with electrophisiological, immunological and biochemical techniques for structure-function correlation studies. The necessary AFM modifications for soft tissues and its accuracy limits will be investigated. The capability of the modified AFM to identify subsets of macromolecules in a complex specimen such as a cell membrane will be explored. If successful, the proposed imaging system will allow improvements in the accuracy of AFM on soft tissues immersed in liquids, with relevance to quantifying and understanding cell-flow interaction and related electrophysiological and biochemical responses. ***