Nano-dynamics of living cell surface by AFM

Dynamics of living cell surface, hepatocyte was measured with an atomic force microscope (AFM). A thermal fluctuation spectroscopy, in which the thermal noise of cantilever is monitored to estimate the mechanical properties of sample surfaces, was for the first time applied to living cells. The power spectrum of cantilevers was analyzed using a harmonic oscillator with memory function of the friction coefficient. The results showed that the friction coefficient decreased with increasing the frequency in the range of 1-20 kHz, indicating the dispersion of the cell surface friction coefficient in the microsecond time domain.