Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) is a versatile type of scanning probe microscopy for studies in molecular biology and materials science. Recent advances in feedback and probe fabrication have greatly increased the resolution, stability, and speed of imaging. Noncontact imaging and the ability to deliver materials to localized areas have made SICM especially fruitful for studies of molecular biology, and many examples of such use have been reported. In this review, we highlight new developments in the operation of SICM and describe some of the most exciting recent studies from this growing field.
Elucidation of epithelial transport across transcellular or paracellular pathways promises to advance the present understanding of ion transport and enables regulation of cell junctions critical to the cell and molecular biology of the epithelium. Here we demonstrate a new instrumental technique potentiometric scanning ion conductance microscopy (P-SICM) that utilizes a nanoscale pipette to differentiate paracellular and transcellular transport processes at high spatial resolution. The technique is validated for well-defined polymer membranes and then employed to study wild type and claudin-deficient mutants of Madin-Darby Canine Kidney strain II (MDCKII) cells. Paracellular permeabilities conferred by claudin-2 are captured by P-SICM which demonstrates the utility to monitor apparent conductance at subcellular levels.
We report scanning electrochemical microscopy-scanning ion conductance microscopy (SECM-SICM) experiments that describe transport of redox active molecules which emanate from single pores of a track-etch membrane. Experiments are performed with electrodes which consist of a thin gold layer deposited on one side of a nanopipet. Subsequent insulation of the electrode with parylene results in a hybrid electrode for SECM-SICM measurements. Electrode fabrication is straightforward and highly parallel. For image collection, ionic current measured at the nanopipet both controls the position of the electrode with respect to the membrane surface and reports the local conductance in the vicinity of the nanopipet, while faradaic current measured at the Au electrode reports the presence of redox-active molecules. Application of a transmembrane potential difference affords additional control over migration of charged species across the membrane.
To synthesize large-area graphene single crystals, we specifically designed a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) reactor with confined reaction space (L 22 mm × W 13 mm × H 50 μm). Within the confined reaction space, a uniform distribution of reactant concentrations, reduced substrate roughness, and the shift of growth kinetics toward a diffusion-limited regime can be achieved, favoring the preparation of large-area, high-quality graphene single crystals. The gas flow field and mass transport pattern of reactants in the LPCVD system simulated with a finite element method support the advantages of using this confined reaction room for graphene growth. Using this spaceconfined reactor together with the optimized synthesis parameters, we obtained monolayer, highly uniform, and defect-free graphene single crystals of up to ∼0.8 mm in diameter with the field-effect mobility of μ EF ∼ 4800 cm 2 V −1 s −1 at room temperature. In addition, structural design of the confined reaction space by adjusting the reactor's dimensions is of facile controllability and scalability, which demonstrates the superiority and preference of this method for industrial applications.
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