Taking the biomolecular pulse

摘要

For more than two decades, atomic forcenmicroscopy (AFM) has provided researchersnwith the ability to investigate surfacenstructures at nanometer-to-subangstromnresolution in ambient and liquid environments.nIndeed, AFM has contributed tongroundbreaking research in the investigationnof DNA, proteins, and cells in biologicalnstudies; structure andncomponent distribution in polymernscience; piconewton forceninteractions and surfactant behaviornin colloid science; and physicalnand mechanical properties andnfabrication variables in the materialsnsciences. Pharmaceuticalnresearch often consists of a combinationnof these scientific branches,nmaking it a particularly viable fieldnfor the application of AFM. Thenability of AFM to provide high-resolutionn3-D surface structurenmakes it a powerful complementnto other common analytical techniquesncurrently available (1).