Development of nanoendoscopy techinique for direct visualization of nanodynamics inside living cells

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22125
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 29:Applied condensed matter physics and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Fukuma Takeshi 金沢大学, ナノ生命科学研究所, 教授 (90452094)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 原子間力顕微鏡（AFM）

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have developed "nanoendoscopy" that allows to visualize nanodynamics inside living cells based on atomic force microscopy. This technology visualizes intracellular structures by scanning a needle tip in three-dimensional space, including inside the cell, and recording the forces acting on the tip during the scanning. Furthermore, by inserting the needle into the cell and performing AFM observation there, the local intracellular structure and its dynamics can be observed with nano-level resolution. In addition, it was confirmed by fluorescence assay that these measurements do not cause lethal damage to the cells. This technology enables direct observation of intracellular phenomena that could not be observed previously, and is expected to advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the expression of cellular functions.

Free Research Field

ナノ計測工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果により、従来技術では観られなかった生細胞内部のナノ現象が観察できるようになる。これにより、従来間接的な計測結果から予想されてきた細胞内現象の発現機構やそれが関係する疾患の機序を直接観て確認できる。また、従来、細胞外での再構成系で多数のAFM計測が行われてきたが、それが本当に細胞内で生じているのかは、しばしば疑問視されてきた。これらの現象を直接細胞内で観察できれば、過去に報告されてきた膨大な量のAFM実験結果に関して、この疑問に対する解答を与えられる。こうして明らかになった細胞機能や疾患機序の理解は、将来、創薬・医学の発展を通じて、人類の健康増進に寄与することが期待される。