Development of a CNT tip for internal chromosome measurement by 3D-AFM

Abstract

Three-dimensional atomic force microscopy is a technique that has a capable of visualizing three-dimensional fluctuating molecular structures at the solid-liquid interface of a sample. In the biological and medical fields, this 3D-AFM is expected to be used to measure the 3D internal structure of three-dimensional biological samples such as cells and chromosomes. In this study, we fabricated sharp probes made of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using an electron microscope and performed internal measurements of chromosomes. As a result, the CNT tip penetrated into the chromosome, and it is highly likely that the force distribution reflecting the internal information was obtained. Furthermore, this method will be expected to apply to a wide variety of biological samples, not only chromosomes.