Work

The Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy to Vision Science

Year: 2010

Type: review

Abstract: The atomic force microscope (AFM) is widely used in materials science and has found many applications in biological sciences but has been limited in use in vision science. The AFM can be used to image the topography of soft biological materials in their native environments. It can also be used to probe the mechanical properties of cells and extracellular matrices, including their intrinsic elastic modulus and receptor-ligand interactions. In this review, the operation of the AFM is described along with a review of how it has been thus far used in vision science. It is hoped that this review will serve to stimulate vision scientists to consider incorporating AFM as part of their research toolkit.

Source: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science

DOI: 10.1167/iovs.10-5470

Authors: Julie A. Last, Paul Russell, Paul F. Nealey, Christopher J. Murphy

Institutions: University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of California, Davis

Language: English

Topic: Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: National Eye Institute

Awards: Mechanotransduction in corneal disorders, Towards a synthetic basement membrane for the corneal epithelium, Role of Biophysical Cues in the Pathogenesis of Glaucoma