Integrated AFM-optical Microscope (Bioscope) for Molecular and Cell Biology

摘要# 0070356用于分子和细胞生物学的集成AFM光学显微镜（BioScope）PI：Y。L.亚利桑那州州立大学柳布琴科。原子力显微镜是一种新的技术，它提供了独特的优势，在没有染色，阴影和标记的情况下，对大分子，它们的复合物和细胞进行非常高分辨率的成像。 AFM可以在环境条件下在空气中或在水溶液中进行，后者对于解析完全水合的结构特别重要。 最近，将AFM技术与光学显微镜相结合的仪器已经允许细胞、微生物大分子复合物以远大于最好的光学显微镜的~200 nm分辨率的分辨率成像。BioScope AFM是一种集成的原子力显微镜/光学显微镜，将用于研究活细胞和大分子组装体的结构，并跟踪活细胞和固定细胞，组织和发育生物体的生化过程。这是当今细胞和结构生物学以及材料科学中使用的最强大的仪器之一。 具体地说，这种集成的光学/AFM显微镜将能够与光学显微镜一起定位感兴趣的区域;获得细胞、其组分和大分子复合物的高分辨率形貌图像;将样品的光学和形貌特征联合收割机结合起来;跟踪活细胞及其组成部分的动力学。这些新的能力将允许对广泛的生物学特性进行更详细的结构和功能研究。这些系统包括a）重组过程中DNA的分子结构，B）细菌中光合复合物的结构和光谱特性，c）两栖动物和哺乳动物卵子受精前精子的表面重组，d）病原真菌的表面结构，e）病毒与细胞表面相互作用的机制，以及f）用于人造器官和组织的仿生材料的表面表征。 在每种情况下，这种新的成像技术都有望为细胞如何与生物和非生物表面相互作用提供新的见解。 BioScope将存放在W。M.凯克生物成像实验室在亚利桑那州州立大学，并将访问任何感兴趣的一方在大学，包括教师，博士后研究人员以及研究生和本科生。

Abstract # 0070356 Integrated AFM-optical microscope (BioScope) for molecular and cell biologyPI: Y. L. Lyubchenko, Arizona State University. AFM is a novel technique that offers unique advantages with the potential for very high resolution imaging of macromolecules, their complexes and cells in the absence of stains, shadows, and labels. AFM can be performed in air at ambient conditions or in aqueous solutions the latter being particularly important for resolving fully hydrated structures. Recently, instruments which integrate AFM technology with an optical light microscope has permitted cells, microorganisms macromolecular complexes to be imaged with a resolution much greater than the ~200 nm resolution of the best optical microscopes. A BioScope AFM, an integrated Atomic Force Microscope/Optical Microscope will be used to study the structure of living cells and macromolecular assemblies and to follow biochemical processes in living as well as fixed cells, tissues, and developing organisms. This is one of the most powerful instruments used in cellular and structural biology and material science today. Specifically, this integrated optical/AFM microscope will be able to locate with the optical microscope the area of interest; to obtain high resolution topographic images of cells, their components and macromolecular complexes; to combine optical and topographic characteristics of the samples;to follow the dynamics of living cells and their components.These new capabilities will allow more detailed structural and functional studies of a wide range of biological systems including a) the molecular structure of DNA during recombination, b) the structure and spectral properties of photosynthetic complexes in bacteria, c) surface reorganization of sperm just before fertilization of amphibian and mammalian eggs, d) the surface structure of pathogenic fungi, e) the mechanisms of viral interactions with cell surfaces, and f) surface characterization of biomimetic materials used in artificial organs and tissues. In each case, this new imaging technique is expected to provide new insights into how cells interact with both biological and nonbiological surfaces. The BioScope will be housed in the W. M. Keck Bioimaging Laboratory at Arizona State University and will be accessible to any interested party at the University, including faculty, postdoctoral researchers as well as graduate and undergraduate students.