spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

First published online May 20, 2008
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/jcs.030999

Journal of Cell Science 121, 1785-1791 (2008)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2008
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Helenius, J.
Right arrow Articles by Muller, D. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Helenius, J.
Right arrow Articles by Muller, D. J.

Commentary

Single-cell force spectroscopy

Jonne Helenius1,*, Carl-Philipp Heisenberg2, Hermann E. Gaub3 and Daniel J. Muller1,*

1 Biotechnology Center, University of Technology Dresden, Germany
2 Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
3 Center for Nanoscience and Applied Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany

* Authors for correspondence (e-mails: jonne.helenius{at}biotec.tu-dresden.de; mueller{at}biotec.tu-dresden.de)

Accepted 15 April 2008

The controlled adhesion of cells to each other and to the extracellular matrix is crucial for tissue development and maintenance. Numerous assays have been developed to quantify cell adhesion. Among these, the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) for single-cell force spectroscopy (SCFS) has recently been established. This assay permits the adhesion of living cells to be studied in near-physiological conditions. This implementation of AFM allows unrivaled spatial and temporal control of cells, as well as highly quantitative force actuation and force measurement that is sufficiently sensitive to characterize the interaction of single molecules. Therefore, not only overall cell adhesion but also the properties of single adhesion-receptor–ligand interactions can be studied. Here we describe current implementations and applications of SCFS, as well as potential pitfalls, and outline how developments will provide insight into the forces, energetics and kinetics of cell-adhesion processes.

Key words: Atomic force microscopy, Cell adhesion, Cellular interaction, Dynamic force spectroscopy, Extracellular matrix, Molecular interaction, Single molecule






© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2008