AFM-IR ‘sees’ the chemical structure and composition inside cells better than ever

“Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (IL, USA) . . .  have built upon prior studies in chemical imaging to simultaneously record the structure and chemical composition of human cells at nanoscale resolution. Optical microscopy uses visible light to illuminate surface-level features, such as color and structure, whereas chemical imaging relies on infrared (IR) light to ‘look’ at a cell’s inner workings. When a cell is exposed to IR light, its temperature rises, causing it to expand. Each type of molecule absorbs IR light at a slightly different wavelength and will emit a unique chemical signature. These absorption patterns can be analyzed to reveal what molecules the cell contains.”     MORE

Image Credit:  Biotechniques.com