Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2011 Oct;21(5):530-7. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2011.07.001. Epub 2011 Aug 16.
While our understanding of the influence of biochemical signaling on cell functioning is increasing rapidly, the consequences of mechanical signaling are currently poorly understood. However, cells of the nervous system respond to their mechanical environment; their mechanosensitivity has important implications for development and disease. Atomic force microscopy provides a powerful technique to investigate the mechanical interaction of cells with their environment with high resolution. This method can be used to obtain high-resolution surface topographies, stiffness maps, and apply well-defined forces to samples at different length scales. This review summarizes recent advances of atomic force microscopy, provides an overview about state-of-the-art measurements, and suggests directions for future applications to investigate the involvement of mechanics in the development of the nervous system.
虽然我们对生化信号对细胞功能影响的理解正在迅速增加，但机械信号的后果目前还知之甚少。然而，神经系统的细胞会对其机械环境做出反应；它们的机械敏感性对发育和疾病有重要影响。原子力显微镜提供了一种强大的技术，可以高分辨率地研究细胞与环境的机械相互作用。这种方法可用于获取高分辨率的表面形貌、弹性图谱，并在不同的长度尺度上对样品施加定义明确的力。本综述总结了原子力显微镜的最新进展，概述了最新的测量方法，并为未来应用提供了方向，以研究力学在神经系统发育中的作用。
