Atomic Force Microscopy Combined with Optical Microscopy for Cells Investigation

This review reports on the combined use of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) and several type of optical/fluorescence/laser scanning microscopy for investigating cells. It is shown that the hybrid systems of AFM with optical-derived microscopies enable to study in detail cell surface properties (such as topography), their mechanical properties (e.g., Young's modulus) mechanotransduction phenomena and allow to gain insight into biological-related pathways and mechanisms in the complex nanoworld of cells. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.