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Characterization of Nanoscale Biological Systems: Multimodal Atomic Force Microscopy for Nanoimaging, Nanomechanics, and Biomolecular Interactions

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Nanotechnology for Biology and Medicine

Part of the book series: Fundamental Biomedical Technologies ((FBMT))

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Abstract

Complexity in biological systems requires coordinated research efforts using ­techniques and approaches that are amenable to multiscale (from nano to micro and beyond) and multidimensional (including their structure, activity, and function) microsystems (e.g., cell membrane, cell organelles, biomacromolecules, and their individual as well as integrated functioning). Major experimental designs and ­discoveries in biological sciences have usually been preceded by major discoveries in physicochemical sciences and engineering. Our understanding of biological ­systems at the time and length scale of micrometer and above is reasonable. Scaling down those systems at nanometer level is challenging and mostly unexplored as yet. The classic correspondence theory of nanoscale and microscale phenomena in physical systems is not likely to be valid for biological systems given the layers of complexity in the biological systems. Hence, one needs to examine biological ­systems at nanoscale in both structural and temporal domains.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Richmond Chemical Corporation, Oak Brook, IL, USA

    Arjan P. Quist

  2. Departments of Mechanical and Aerospace, and Bio-engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Ratnesh Lal

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  1. Arjan P. Quist
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  2. Ratnesh Lal
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Correspondence to Ratnesh Lal .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Jacobs Retina Center, University of California - San Diego, Campus Point Drive 9415, La Jolla, 92037-0946, California, USA

    Gabriel A. Silva

  2. Center for Glial Biology in Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, 6th Avenue South 1719, Birmingham, 35294-0021, Alabama, USA

    Vladimir Parpura

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Quist, A.P., Lal, R. (2012). Characterization of Nanoscale Biological Systems: Multimodal Atomic Force Microscopy for Nanoimaging, Nanomechanics, and Biomolecular Interactions. In: Silva, G., Parpura, V. (eds) Nanotechnology for Biology and Medicine. Fundamental Biomedical Technologies. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-31296-5_3

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