AFM Imaging of biological sample surfaces

This article illustrates the clinical and environmental researches of intermittent contact mode atomic force microscopy, utilizing AFM imaging of canine renal epithelial cell and influenza viruses. The images include topography, amplitude, and phase. In the AFM images of canine renal epithelial cell, not only the structure of single cell surface, but also the granules and the hole on the cell surface are shown, and the structure of glycocalyx on the cell membrane is obtained. In the AFM images of influenza viruses, the virus is obtained, and the glycoprotein protrusions on the virus surface are shown. The information from AFM images is helpful to understand the functions of biological sample surface structures.