Traditionally, in Single Cell Force Spectroscopy (SCFS) assays, the object of interest is glued to an AFM cantilever resulting in complex handling and low throughput. Our FluidFM systems solve this issue by reversibly immobilizing a cell to a FluidFM Probe via suction, and subsequent release with a pressure pulse or brief washing. This gentle exchange of the cell allows the cantilever to be re-used for several measurements, saves time and costs, and results in a 10 times higher throughput compared to traditional methods.
Measure up to 200 cells a day
Through simple & reversible immobilization
Huge force range
Measure forces from pN up to µN
Many cell types & colloids
For mammalian cells, microbes, and colloids
FluidFM systems for single cell force spectroscopy
Automated single-cell adhesion with the FluidFM OMNIUM system
The FluidFM OMNIUM is a highly automated system for measuring up to 200 single cells a day. Get reproducible, direct force measurements in high quality and with sound statistics.
High throughput
Direct force measurement
Easy-to-use & reproducible
Compatible with standard cell-laboratory materials
Your advantages of using FluidFM for single cell force spectroscopy
10x faster measurements compared to standard methods
As objects like cells or colloids can be quickly exchanged through reversible immobilization, measurement throughput is increased more than 10-fold. Up to 200 individual objects can be analyzed in a single day.
Working principle of single cell force spectroscopy with FluidFM.
Fast & easy. In this video, three micrometer colloids are attracted from suspension with a vacuum, held briefly, and then released again with a pressure pulse.
Simple - no glue needed
The suction method of immobilizing the objects onto the FluidFM cantilever makes it reversible and avoids any glue: Pick. Measure. Release. Repeat.
Many cell types and colloids supported
Cells and colloids come in a wealth of shapes and sizes. FluidFM single cell force spectroscopy works with adherent or suspension mammalian cells, spheric or rod-shaped microbes, and with colloids, bubbles, and droplets from 0.5 to 100 µm particle size. FluidFM can handle them whether they are hundreds of nm or dozens of µm in diameter. Customers have even analyzed non-colloidal E.coli cells.
Cells
Microbes
Colloids
Adherent or suspension cells
Spheric or rod shaped. Algae, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi.
Colloids from 0.5 to 100 µm particle size. Also for bubbles, droplets.
Switch the probe anytime or reuse to save money
Whether due to degradation, contamination or a required change of probe geometry or chemistry – you can switch the probe at anytime. Just release the object, change the probe, and take up the object again. Our FluidFM Probes typically last for several force spectroscopy measurement days allowing the analysis of several hundred cells.
Self-centering – means reproducibility
The position of the object on the FluidFM cantilever is given by the position of the aperture. Thus, every colloidal probe will be centered automatically and at the same position – as long as the same FluidFM Probe is used. This results in highly reproducible positioning.
1) cell is selected 2) Cell is detached from surface 3) Resulting force spectroscopy. Image courtesy of Bruker.
10x higher force range
The various stiffnesses and opening diameters of FluidFM Probes enable to measure forces from tens of pN up to µN.
Pick from substrate or attract from solution, or even air
Pick-up cells directly from a substrate or attract them from a solution via liquid influx to the aperture of the FluidFM Probe. This method is also recommended when the long-term adhesion of a microbe to a substrate is too strong to quantify, and hence shorter-term interactions are studied. Some customers have also performed particle and microbe measurements in air.
S. Cerevisiae, also known as baker’s yeast, are picked-up from medium, measured and then deposited in a line with a FluidFM Micropipette. The cells stay fully viable through this procedure. Image courtesy of P. Dörig, ETH Zurich.
FluidFM has provided us the chance to detach mammalian cells that were very strongly adhered to the substrate, in a systematic way and without any chemical modification of the cantilever; thus, allowing us to study cell behaviour in their natural state and environment.
With FluidFM we found the right technology to produce stable functionalized bubbles and to study their interaction with microalgae cells using an atomic force microscope. These functionalized bubbles allow us to design new harvesting strategies for microalgae as a promising resource for biofuel production. Other cell separation areas will benefit as well from this approach, including for example separating bacterial cells from human blood in the case of sepsis.
FluidFM allows my team to efficiently capture adhesive forces of microbial pathogens and screen for new anti-adhesion molecules. I believe that FluidFM has the potential to shed much light onto anti-microbial strategies.
Previous
Next
Learn how customers have benefited from using FluidFM in single cell force spectroscopy experiments
Publication showing how FluidFM can be used to generate and functionalize bubbles of constant size for exploring their interaction with biological surfaces. The ability to engineer bubbles will advance various applications, including drug delivery and cell separation.
This study introduces FluidFM as tool for the assessment of mature intercellular adhesion forces in a physiological setting that will be of relevance to biological processes in developmental biology, tissue regeneration and diseases like cancer and fibrosis.
Researchers from both the University Hospital Würzburg and the University Würzburg found a new potential approach to overcome resistance to the recently approved Midostaurin drug and even increase the drug activity, also with help of FluidFM cell measurements.
In this study researchers from the University of Kaiserslautern apply FluidFM to study bacterial adhesion to typical reactor material such as stainless steel. Not only do they present a new method how to optimize the measurement parameters, they also show that using FluidFM leads to comparable results as with traditional SCFS, where a cell is glued to an AFM probe.
Scientist at ETH Zurich quantified the hydrophobic adhesion properties of 28 bacteria strains taken from leaf isolates. They developed a modular FluidFM approach where colloidal, hydrophobic probes were brought in contact with the isolated bacteria on a PLL coated glass substrate. With 700 individual bacteria measured, this very extensive single cell force spectroscopy study allowed to observe cell-cell heterogeneity. The differences between the strains regarding hydrophobic interactions covered 3 orders of magnitude and correlated well with bacteria retention in planta.
3D printing has become prevalent in many fields, especially in tissue engineering. Yet so far it was not possible to melt-electrowrite (MEW) hydrogels, limiting print architecture and resolution of this important material in biomedicine. Researchers from The Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg and the University Hospital Würzburg have discovered a way unlocking MEW with promising implications to directly print soft, yet resilient tissues. FluidFM helped to characterize the printed material with its fast colloidal probe technique.
Study of tumor progression and metastasis with cell-cell adhesion forces
Study with a Nanosurf Flex-FPM by Dr. Noa Cohen, group of Prof. Tanya Konry, Northeastern University in Boston, on cell-cell adhesion forces to gain more insights into tumor progression and metastasis (Cohen et al., 2017):
Optical images showing:
A) a single cell to be picked up by a FluidFM Probe B) the cell aspired to the cantilever and C) the FluidFM Probe with aspired cell during a cell-cell adhesion measurement.
Data/image courtesy of Tanya Konry group, Northeastern University, Boston, USA.
A) Typical force curves between a MCF7 cell aspired to the cantilever and non-cancerous, fibroblast (HS5) on the substrate at different contact times. B) Development of the force with contact time between the cells.
Data/image courtesy of Tanya Konry group, Northeastern University, Boston, USA.
Easy click-fix mount of probe pre-assembled on adaptor, no tools needed
Automated probe exchange process
Incubator for CO2 and temperature control
Available (from AFM supplier)
Available, specially tailored to the FluidFM OMNIUM
Compatibility
Nanosurf (CoreAFM, FlexAFM and DriveAFM), Bruker (Bioscope Resolve), JPK (Nanowizard, CellHesion and ForceRobot families)
n.a. (standalone system)
FluidFM ADD-ON
FluidFM OMNIUM
Workflow automation
Operator guided measurement for each cell. Limited automation available depending on AFM supplier software.
Operator selects cells of interest in software. Automated measurement and release of selected cells. Automated probe washing procedure between two cells.
Throughput
Up to 20 adherent cells per day
Up to 100 adherent cells per day
Force sensitivity and resolution
< 100 pN
< 1 nN
Force range
100 pN to 1 µN
1 nN to 1 µN
Force mapping
Available as supported by specific AFM
Not available
AFM imaging modes
All modes as supported by specific AFM
Not available
Z-movement resolution
< 0.1 nm
< 5 nm
Z- measurement range
10 µm to 200 µm (depending on AFM system)
5 cm
Accessible XY-range during one measurement
100 µm x 100 µm (depending on AFM system)
240 mm x 74 mm (two well plates)
XY-automation
Yes, depending on AFM model
Yes
Culture plate/ slide compatibility
Depending on AFM model, typically low-profile dishes (50mm or 35 mm), not compatible with standard well plates.
Compatible with standard plates (6, 12, 24-well), petri-dishes, glass slides and more.
FluidFM ADD-ON
FluidFM OMNIUM
Adhesion measurements of mammalian cells
++
+++
Elasticity or indentation measurements of mammalian cells
+++
++
Adhesion measurements of larger microbes like yeast, protozoa, or algae
+++
++
Adhesion measurements of bacteria
+++
-
Colloidal spectroscopy
+++
++
- Not recommended; + Works but with drawbacks; ++ Works but not optimal in every situation; +++ Method of choice
Physical studies of single cells allow insights into biophysical and mechanobiological phenomena in differentiation, growth, and proliferation. In cancer research, immunology and neuroscience, the mechanical properties of cells and their interactions with their environment such as with other cells (cell heterogeneity) or the properties of biological structures and surfaces are key parameters. Likewise, for implant materials there is a clinical need to understand and control how various cells adhere to it.
With FluidFM, biomechanical properties such as adhesion can be readily and efficiently measured, allowing to gain deeper understanding, to design novel experimental approaches, and to explore solutions to modify and optimize the desired properties.
Force spectroscopy promises critical insights in microbial biofilm formation, anti-microbial or non-fouling surfaces and more.
Microbes are fundamental to any ecosystem and the recent rise of the microbiome research field is just about to give us even more fascinating insights in their world and our co-existence. As pathogens, symbionts, or production organisms, they play an important role in clinical and pharmaceutical applications as well as for agricultural and industrial use.
As example, biofilm formation of microbes relies on adhesion to both the substrate and each other. By measuring these adhesion mechanisms, they can be understood and addressed in the further optimization of surface materials, like in the design of implants as well as anti-microbial or non-fouling surfaces.
Mechanical studies with FluidFM therefore give valuable insights for microbial research, extending the body of knowledge gained through classical biological research methods.
Colloids are ubiquitous in both industry and nature, being the key component in emulsions, foams, gels, and aerosols. Material and surface properties play an important role in their design. FluidFM enables analyzing mechanical properties like adhesion in a time- and cost- efficient manner, thereby accelerating research and new product development.
