Atomic force microscope discovered arthritis and breast cancer

With the atomic force microscope, surfaces can be viewed at the atomic level without destruction. Medicine, agriculture and environmental benefit.

Hard to imagine is what we do not see. This not only very young children find difficult. Therefore an instrument to look into the world of molecules that are only a few nanometers in size, would be extremely useful. A new world would open up and give us totally new insights. The last few years has been exactly this possible with the development of the atomic force microscope.

It is a further development of the scanning tunneling microscope, for its development have Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer received the IBM Research Laboratory in Ruschlikon in Switzerland in 1986 the Nobel Prize in Physics. This microscope is able to scan surfaces atom by atom without destroying it.

Atomic force microscope in use:

Previous applications were for example, biofouling, in which micro-organisms or algae settle on surfaces. On ship hulls increases the water resistance and fuel consumption. Also in cooling circuits, it is frowned upon. If one wants to develop means to bio-fouling, one must also consider whether they work, for example, look by using an atomic force microscope, the surfaces. It was also used in pineapple plantations for the detection of fungi or in the development of biomaterials that are to be used in the human body, for example, new hips or knees.

In the latter play a crucial role of surface properties for compatibility. Dentistry uses it to test the effect of acid in soft drinks or toothpaste on the tooth enamel. Also you get diseases by means of atomic force microscope on the track by the molecular changes observed. That plays a role in Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

Breast cancer detected early, and Osteoarthritis:

Recently opened up prospects for the early diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Swiss researchers from the University of Basel will discover very early changes in articular cartilage using the atomic force microscope. At the molecular level, may announce changes in the cartilage, when seen in the X-ray image yet. The evidence is they have succeeded with mice. Works, the method could take preventive measures concerned to maintain their cartilage as long as possible or it would be possible to test cartilage-protective measures.

A new type of microscope that was used for soil analysis in 2008 on the Mars expedition feeds, now hopes to perfecting breast cancer diagnosis. Also, researchers from the University of Basel have been studied with him in a few minutes breast cancer tissue and found the stage of the disease and its goodness or evilness. The researchers suggest that other tissues such as cartilage already mentioned, but also blood vessels, skin or the retina of the eye can be examined.

So could this technical innovation, at least one break in the mean detection of disease. It is therefore just as open possibilities, the effectiveness of agents for the treatment at an early stage to test quickly and accurately. The development of drugs thus gets an enormous boost.