Microscopy & Analysis, June 2018
Patrick Frederix, Paul Werten, Dalia Yablon
The platform of fluid force microscopy (FluidFM) offers researchers unique capabilities in precise and well-controlled fluid delivery in small quantities down to femtoliters to the surface. It is based on a microfluidic controller coupled with an innovative AFM probe where a microchannel is hollowed out so that the probe essentially functions as a nanopipette. Applications of FluidFM are described including enhanced manipulation of cells, improved force measurements on biological materials including bacteria, and fluidic writing on hydrogels.