SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY OF BIOMEDICAL INTERFACES

The development of the scanning probe microscopes over the past decade has provided a number of exciting new surface analytical techniques m aking a significant progress in the characterisation of biomedical int erfaces. In this review, several examples are presented to illustrate that SPM is a powerful and promising tool for surface investigations i ncluding biomolecules, cell membranes, polymers and even living cells. The ability of the SPM instrument to monitor adhesion phenomena and p rovide quantitative information about intermolecular interactions is a lso described. Moreover, the huge potential of the scanning probe micr oscopes to study dynamic processes at interfaces under nearly physiolo gical conditions is highlighted. Novel applications in the field of bi ochemistry, microbiology, biomaterial engineering, drug delivery and e ven medicine are discussed.