Nanostethoscopy: Atomic Force Microscopy Probe Contact Force versus Measured Amplitude of Cardiomyocytic Contractions

摘要

Cardiomyocytes are one of the most active cells in the human body. Understanding their mechanical contractions via nanostethoscopy has given us better insight into the subtleties of contractions. There is extensive data available on the temporal behavior of contraction in a cardiomyocytes but little is known about how contact force of the AFM probe influences the measurement force of contractions i.e., mean beat force. This investigation suggests that in order to accurately measure mean beat force nanostethoscopy data should be analyzed from the lowest to the highest contact force. In this study optimal contact force was varied from 10 nN to 500 nN and it was observed that the maximum contraction i.e., mean beat force was highest at contact force of 250 nN.