High resolution chemical mapping of biomimetic membranes by force volume imaging

Abstract

The analysis of membrane domain segregation and phase separation is of significant interest for the understanding of cell membranes. In this paper, we report a new approach to atomic force microscopy (AFM) of artificial membranes, using both functionalised AFM tips and ldquoForce Volumerdquo AFM imaging for the analysis of membrane phase separation. Simultaneous topology and mapping of interaction forces of binary component phospholipid bilayer membranes was performed yielding novel insights into membrane structure at unprecedented resolution.