原子力显微镜力谱技术及其在微观生物力学领域的应用

基于原子力显微镜技术的力谱技术是一种高灵敏度的力学检测方法.它能够以前所未有的精度, 在微观生物力学领域表征组织、细胞、生物膜、蛋白质、核酸、功能材料等目标对象, 探索其包括形貌、化学信息、导电性、静电力以及生物学特性在内的等信息, 并且能够对其进行分子级别精度的三维操纵. 从而对分子结构与构象变化, 分子间的相互作用以及反应历程实现单分子水平的实时--原位观测, 提供了其他测试方法不能完成的实验设计之可能性.本文首先介绍了原子力显微镜及其力谱技术的原理, 以及影响测量结果的各个参数的物理意义; 其次按照单个目标对象与配对目标对象的区分方式, 详细介绍了力谱技术在微观生物力学各个尺度上的研究进展; 之后介绍了力谱技术结合成像模式下的发展和应用; 最后对设备的改进和本研究领域发展方向进行了展望. 

AFM force spectroscopy and its applications on micro biomechanics

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) based force spectroscopy is a high-sensitive mechanical detection method. With unprecedented accuracy, this method enables the characterization of a wide range of biological and synthetic bio-interfaces, ranging from tissues, cells, membranes, proteins, nucleic acids to functional materials. Besides the possibility of high resolution imaging of biological samples from the cellular level to the molecular level, AFM-based force spectroscopy allows their mechanical, chemical, conductive or electrostatic, and biological properties to be probed, and helps addressing fundamental challenges that cannot be addressed with other techniques. In this review, we summarize basic and advanced force spectroscopy approaches in micro biomechanics and evaluate their unique advantages and limitations.