IN-SITU INVESTIGATION OF HUMIDITY-INDUCED CHANGES ON HUMAN HAIR AND ANTENNAE OF THE HONEY-BEE, APIS-MELLIFERA L., BY SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPY

Atomic force microscopy has already proven its large potential for in- situ investigation of a wide variety of materials under ambient condit ions. In the present work our methodological developments have been ut ilized for insitu studies of morphological changes on biological mater ial under atmospheres of defined humidity. The observed changes have b een evaluated on a quantitative basis through calculation of the corre lation between images taken under different conditions. By using femal e hair as a well-known model sample it could be shown that expansions in the order of 1% or less are accessible. The analytical figures of m erit will be discussed. The described technique has also been applied to study hygroreceptors of the honey bee. The promising potential of t he method for studying the mechanism of humidity transduction of such organs will be addressed, too.