NATIVE AND MODIFIED UNCOATED NEURONS OBSERVED BY ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

Dried, fixed uncoated neuron granule cells and their neurites have bee n imaged in air by an atomic force microscope (AFM) in the repulsive r egime of contact mode. Neurons have also been observed after swelling with glutamate or decapping. Modifications induced by glutamate result ed in a drastic reduction in the cell body height (from 1.5 to 2.0 mu m for the untreated ones down to 0.7-1.0 mu m) and in an increased cor rugation of the granule cell membrane. In the decapped neurons AFM rev ealed decreasing cell body height for an increasing amount of removed material during the decapping procedure. These results demonstrate tha t AFM is the ideal technique to observe cell corrugation and height mo difications during cell treatments of neurobiological interest. (C) 19 96 American Vacuum Society.