Imaging erythrocytes under physiological conditions by atomic force microscopy

Since its invention in the mid 1980s atomic force microscopy has revolution ised the way in which surfaces can be imaged. Close to atomic resolution ha s been achieved for some materials and numerous images of molecules on surf aces have been recorded. Atomic force microscopy has also been of benefit t o biology where protein molecules on surfaces have been studied and even wh ole cells have been investigated. Here we report a study of red blood cells which have been imaged in a physiological medium. At high resolution, the underlying cytoskeleton of the blood cell has been resolved and flaws in th e cytoskeleton structure may be observed. Comparison of the normal 'doughnu t' shaped cells with swollen cells has been undertaken. Differences in both the global properties of the cells and in the local features in cytoskelet on structure have been observed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.