Volume 47, Issue 44 pp. 8473-8477
Communication

DNA-Coated AFM Cantilevers for the Investigation of Cell Adhesion and the Patterning of Live Cells

Sonny C. Hsiao

Sonny C. Hsiao

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley

Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (USA), Fax: (+1) 510-643-3079

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Ailey K. Crow

Ailey K. Crow

Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

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Wilbur A. Lam

Wilbur A. Lam

UCB/UCSF Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

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Carolyn R. Bertozzi Prof.

Carolyn R. Bertozzi Prof.

Department of Chemistry & Molecular and Cell Biology

Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley

Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (USA)

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Daniel A. Fletcher Prof.

Daniel A. Fletcher Prof.

Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley

UCB/UCSF Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley (USA)

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Matthew B. Francis Prof.

Matthew B. Francis Prof.

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley

Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (USA), Fax: (+1) 510-643-3079

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First published: 15 October 2008
Citations: 54

We thank Z. Gartner, R. Chandra, E. Douglas, and X. Chen for technical assistance and helpful discussions, and especially Z. Gartner for DNA preparation. This work was generously supported by Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the US Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC03-76SF00098, a National Research Service Award of National Institutes of Health, and a Hammond Research Fellowship of the National Childhood Cancer Foundation and Children's Oncology Group to W.A.L.

Graphical Abstract

Get a grip: Measurement of receptor adhesion strength requires the precise manipulation of single cells on a contact surface. To attach live cells to a moveable probe, DNA sequences complementary to strands displayed on the plasma membrane are introduced onto AFM cantilevers (see picture, bp=base pairs). The strength of the resulting linkages can be tuned by varying the length of DNA strands, allowing for controlled transport of the cells.

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