Atomic force microscopy detects transient frictional contrasts in apoptotic cells induced by deprivation of interleukin-3

The morphological changes of murine hematopoietic 32D Cl3-A cell line, in w hich apoptosis was induced by deprivation of interleukin-3 (IL-3) from the culture medium, were studied through air operating atomic force microscopy. The subtraction of IL-3 determines the appearing of blebs on plasma membra ne and cell fragmentation in several residual bodies. Areas of strong contr ast in the friction images, which are nearly absent in control and necrotic cells, were detected with percentage that peaks at 6 h of IL-3 deprivation . These are the results revealing that transient modification of the plasma membrane accompanies the first steps of apoptosis pathway. (C) 2001 Americ an Institute of Physics.