Scanning force microscopy of artificial membranes

Visualization of biological membranes by scanning force microscopy (SFM) ha s tremendously improved the current understanding of protein - lipid intera ctions under physiological conditions. SFM is the only tool to directly ima ge processes on surfaces in aqueous solution at molecular resolution. Besid es being a supportive means to confirm results on lipid phases and domains obtained from fluorescence spectroscopy, calorimetry, and X-ray crystallogr aphy, SFM has contributed distinct aspects on the formation of 2D crystals of various membrane-confined proteins and morphological changes of membrane s due to the interaction of peptides and proteins. This review will focus o n recent results in SFM imaging of artificial solid-supported membranes, th eir phase behavior as a response to the environment, and changes in membran e morphology induced by the partitioning of peptides and proteins.