Atomic force microscopy combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy: A new look at cells (original) (raw)

A stand-a lone atomic fo rce microscope (AFM) has been developed, which features a la rge sca n area a nd which allows opera tion under liquid. This system was combined with a co nfoca l laser sca nning microscope (C LSM). Information about cell structures, obtained by CLSM, can be complemented with images of the cell surface obtained with the AFM. This is illustra ted by stud ying the pseudopodia of cells from a human cell line (K562-cells, predecessor of eryth ro bl as ts) and the cytoskeleton of monk ey kidney cells (in air and under liquid), both stained with F-actin-specific Auo rescent pro bes. Im ages of the cytoskeleton during the cytotox ic interaction betwee n a na tu ral killer and a K562 target cell are presented. O ur results show that co mbination of these techniques ca n provid e new information about cells and cellular structu res. Key words: a to mic fo rce microscopy, co nfoca l lase r sca nnin g microscopy, cy toskeleto n, cy totox ic. interacti o n.