Imaging F-actin in fixed glial cells with a combined optical fluorescence/atomic force microscope.

A prototype combined optical fluorescence/atomic force microscope (OFAFM) designed for use in neurobiology and related disciplines has been constructed and used to study filamentous actin (F-actin) and other cellular structures in fixed Xenopus retinal glial cells (XR1 glial cell line). F-actin was readily observed by both fluorescence and AFM. AFM images of nuclei and other cellular structures were also obtained. The OFAFM consists of an AFM with an interferometer detection mechanism mounted on an inverted optical microscope. Integration of optical and scanned probe imaging methods provides a unique and useful approach to studying glial (and other) cell structure and function.