Microelectromechanical Microscope for Biological Analysis

质膜调节许多基本的细胞过程，如分子的主动运输、酶反应和信号转导。为了了解这些基本过程，有必要确定质膜的结构和工作机制。近年来，人们发现质膜的结构在纳米尺度上具有相当大的异质性。这些动态薄膜特征的微小规模给显微镜工作者带来了重大挑战。将构建一种基于微电子机械系统的新型超分辨率扫描探针光学显微镜。具体地说，目标是制造、表征和优化微型机电样品支架，生产使用该技术的扫描显微镜，并将该技术应用于膜结构和功能的研究。新仪器将有可能在几十纳米的分辨率尺度上解决有关细胞表面受体的接近程度、脂质成分的共聚程度以及质膜结构域的功能等问题。

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.