Atomic Force Microscope Manipulation of Living Cells

Abstract

Techniques for atomic force microscope manipulation of living cells include functionalizing a nanoscale tip of a microscale cantilever with a first ligand for a first receptor associated with a surface of a first type of cell. The method further comprises controlling the cantilever to cause the first ligand on the nanoscale tip to contact the first receptor on a surface of a living cell of the first type in a particular temporal pattern to induce a target response by the living cell. Other techniques for controlling an atomic force microscope comprising a nanoscale tip include controlling the cantilever to cause the nanoscale tip to contact a living cardiomyocyte at a predetermined pressure. The cantilever is also controlled to turn off vertical deflection feedback after contacting the cardiomyocyte and collecting deflection data that indicates a time series of nanoscale vertical deflections of the microscale cantilever caused by the living cardiomyocyte.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an atomic force microscope comprising a microscale cantilever on which is disposed a nanoscale tip;   a stage configured to be moveably positioned relative to the nanoscale tip of the microscale cantilever in microscale steps; and   a confocal optical microscope, wherein the stage is disposed so that a sample on the stage is disposed in a focal plane of the confocal optical microscope.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising an acoustical isolation component between the stage and an acoustic source component of the confocal optical microscope. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , the stage comprising a microscale well for corralling a living cell. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , the nanoscale tip functionalized with a first ligand for a first receptor associated with a surface of a first type of cell. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , the acoustical isolation component further comprising a massive slab. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , the acoustical isolation component further comprising an active vibration cancellation system.