ABSTRACT
Initially microdissection of genetic material was performed with extended glass needles. This mechanical
approach, in which the tip of the needle is in contact with the sample, allows the dissection of material in
the range of 1 mm. The tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever can be used to scale the
dissection method down to nanometer range. Here the tip is used for manipulation and microdissection
instead of imaging.
