Real Time Atomic Force Fluorescence-Microscopy on Living Cells

Abstract

The reaction of bone cells after mechanical stimulation is a key issue in understanding the origins of osteoporosis. We investigate mechanical stimulation of osteoblasts and their reaction with a new combination of an atomic force apparatus with a fluorescence microscope. First measurements on the mechanically induced calcium response of osteoblasts are presented. The average threshold force for stimulation is 300nN and the dynamics of the calcium response is in the several tens of seconds range.