Application of Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy to Biosciences

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  • Nakajima Masato
    新潟大学大学院医歯学総合研究科　顕微解剖学分野
  • Ushiki Tatsuo
    新潟大学大学院医歯学総合研究科　顕微解剖学分野

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Other Title
  • 走査型イオン伝導顕微鏡のバイオサイエンスへの応用
  • ソウサガタ イオン デンドウ ケンビキョウ ノ バイオサイエンス エ ノ オウヨウ

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Description

<p>The scanning ion conductance microscope (SICM), introduced by Hansma et al., in 1989, uses an electrolyte-filled micropipette electrode as a sensitive probe and detects the ion current between the probe and the bath electrode in an electrolyte solution. When the probing tip approaches the sample surface in the solution, the ion current decreases because the space through which ions can flow is decreased. By monitoring the change in ion current, SICM can obtain contact-free images of the sample topography. This technique is expected to be useful for studying the surface structure of soft biological samples under liquid conditions. In this paper, we explained the principle of the SICM and showed some results of the application of SICM to biosciences. We showed SICM images of collagen fibrils and cultivated cells in liquid. Sequential time-lapsed SICM images of live cells were also shown for investigating the movement of cellular processes on the time scale of minutes. We then applied SICM to the study on the surface topography of tissue blocks (e.g., trachea, etc.). The advantages of SICM imaging in biosciences were discussed by comparison with imaging by scanning electron microscopy.</p>

Journal

  • KENBIKYO

    KENBIKYO 48 (3), 164-168, 2013-12-30

    The Japanese Society of Microscopy

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