The Centre for Chemical Sensors and Chemical Information Technology (CCS) in Micro- and Nanotechnology

Abstract

A selection of the most challenging projects in micro- and nanotechnology tackled at CCS during the last few years are discussed. The ultimate challenge was to localize voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels on membranes of living cells by ion-selective AFM-tips. In order to address this goal, a procedure to simulate the ion transport over ion-channels was developed. Two types of living cells were investigated; Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK-F) cells and adult rat cardiomyocytes (ARC). The results of force microscopy were compared to the patch clamp technique and to immunoselective staining and localization by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The lateral resolution of the AFM imaging technique, the rate-limiting steps, the force applied to the cells by the AFM-cantilever and the mechanism of the detection principle are addressed.