Atomic force microscopy as an imaging tool to study the bio/nonbio complexes
Authors: BEDNARIKOVA Z. , GAZOVA Z. , VALLE F. , BYSTRENOVA E. 
Published: June 2020

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) besides X‐ray crystallography and electron microscopy is one of the most attractive methods to study bio/nonbio complexes. Information on how biomacromolecules interact with nanomaterials under different environmental conditions has important implications for the practice of nanomedicine and concerning the safety of nanomaterials. These complexes cover a broad range both in terms of stability and composition. AFM offers a wealth of structural and functional data about such assemblies. The variety of samples investigated using AFM in biology includes nanometre‐sized proteins, lipids, DNA, amyloid fibrils, as well as larger objects such as cells. Herein we choose to review the significance of AFM to study various biological aspects of selected assemblies. We have focused on the exploitation of AFM operating in the air. The presented AFM research offers a unique and often unexpected insight into the structure and function of the bio/nonbio complexes.

Lay Description

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) besides X‐ray crystallography and electron microscopy is one of the most attractive methods to study bio/nonbio complexes. Information on how biomacromolecules interact with nanomaterials under different environmental conditions has important implications for the practice of nanomedicine and concerning the safety of nanomaterials. These complexes cover a broad range both in terms of stability and composition. AFM offers a wealth of structural and functional data about such assemblies. The variety of samples investigated using AFM in biology includes nanometre‐sized proteins, lipids, DNA, amyloid fibrils, as well as larger objects such as cells. Herein we choose to review the significance of AFM to study various biological aspects of selected assemblies. The presented AFM research offers a unique and often unexpected insight into the structure and function of the bio/nonbio complexes.

Nature has set us a perfect example of how to elegantly optimise and fine tune different types of processes. The relatively young field of nanotechnology has studied biological processes and exploited their unique strengths as novel materials. The resulting area of bionanotechnology has adopted interaction schemes presented to us by biology, to provide enhanced selectivity, efficiency or versatility of molecular attachment strategies. Two scenarios of this synergistic scheme are: the conjugation of nanostructures as a tool for research in biological science and the conjugation of biological particles as a tool for nanotechnology.

The use of nanotechnologies for medical applications raises high expectations regarding diagnosis, drug delivery, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. There is an increasing number of reports using AFM as a nanodiagnostic tool with patient cells. The use of AFM, in combination with more conventional analytical approaches, could inform decisions related to recommendations for treatments. Applying AFM techniques in nanomedicine is becoming well established.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most functional and powerful microscopy technology for studying biological and material samples at the nanoscale. It is advantageous because an atomic force microscope can image three‐dimensional topography of very small objects. It also provides various types of surface measurements to the needs of scientists and engineers if combined with other electromagnetic waves. It is powerful because an AFM can generate images at atomic resolution with 10‐9m scale resolution height information, with minimum sample preparation. AFM gives details on how biological molecules, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and amyloid aggregates, interact with nanomaterials under different environmental conditions. Here, we have shown several examples of relevant applications of AFM to study structural, functional and mechanical properties useful for the medicine and concerning the safety of nanomaterials.