The atomic force microscope (AFM) is increasingly becoming a first line tool for measuring material properties at microscopic scales. When it comes to soft biological materials such as cells, however, serious problems have been identified with both the widely used measuring approach and with the data analysis methods. Here we develop an improved experimental approach and develop the theoretical framework for the analysis of collected AFM force-displacement data. We also establish the applicability domain for both the experimental and theoretical frameworks. The results of the project are being verified by extracting elastic moduli for soft gels using the AFM and then comparing those results with those obtained from macroscopic measurements.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health (OD)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01OD011036-02
Application #
6548672
Study Section
(BEPS)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Office of the Director, NIH
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code
Manoussaki, D; Dimitriadis, E K; Chadwick, R S (2006) Cochlea's graded curvature effect on low frequency waves. Phys Rev Lett 96:088701
Shoelson, Brett; Dimitriadis, Emilios K; Cai, Hongxue et al. (2004) Evidence and implications of inhomogeneity in tectorial membrane elasticity. Biophys J 87:2768-77
Dimitriadis, Emilios K; Horkay, Ferenc; Maresca, Julia et al. (2002) Determination of elastic moduli of thin layers of soft material using the atomic force microscope. Biophys J 82:2798-810
Dimitriadis, E K; Chadwick, R S (1999) Solution of the inverse problem for a linear cochlear model: a tonotopic cochlear amplifier. J Acoust Soc Am 106:1880-92