ABSTRACT

Despite substantial evidence showing the feasibility of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to identify cells with altered elastic and adhesive properties, the use of this technique as a complementary diagnostic method remains controversial. This book is designed to be a practical textbook that teaches how to assess the mechanical characteristics of living, individual cells by AFM. Following a step-by-step approach, it introduces the methodology of measurements in the case of both determination of elastic properties and quantification of adhesive properties.

chapter 1|22 pages

Introduction

chapter 2|30 pages

Cell Structure and Functions

chapter 3|42 pages

Principles of Atomic Force Microscopy

chapter 4|54 pages

Quantification of Cellular Elasticity

chapter 5|68 pages

Adhesive Properties Studied by AFM

chapter 6|4 pages

Conclusions