Mechanical and morphological properties of living 3T6 cells probed via scanning force microscopy.

Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) is utilized to study living confluent 3T6 cells. Images based on mechanical contrast are obtained and related morphological details, mostly regarding the cell cytoskeleton, are analyzed. Moreover, numerical estimates of the local mechanical properties of the living cells are given, by extensive use of the "force-vs.-distance" operation mode. On the basis of the results obtained, the potentialities of SFM as an optimal new technique available for probing the cell cytoskeleton of unstained living cells, and assessing related models, are shortly discussed.