Nanoscale Operation of a Living Cell Using an Atomic Force Microscope with a Nanoneedle

TLDR

The study develops a nanoscale surgical tool using AFM with a modified tip to operate on living cells. The technique employs AFM tips sharpened to 200–300 nm needles via focused ion beam etching. Force–distance curves and confocal imaging confirm that the 200–300 nm AFM needles penetrate cell and nuclear membranes to 1–2 µm depth, with force behavior matching the Hertz model, demonstrating the method’s suitability for nanoscale cell surgery.

Abstract

We have developed a tool for performing surgical operations on living cells at nanoscale resolution using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a modified AFM tip. The AFM tips are sharpened to ultrathin needles of 200−300 nm in diameter using focused ion beam etching. Force−distance curves obtained by AFM using the needles indicated that the needles penetrated the cell membrane following indentation to a depth of 1−2 μm. The force increase during the indentation process was found to be consistent with application of the Hertz model. A three-dimensional image generated by laser scanning confocal microscopy directly revealed that the needle penetrated both the cellular and nuclear membranes to reach the nucleus. This technique enables the extended application of AFM to analyses and surgery of living cells.