life sciences

Mechanical disassembly of human picobirnavirus like particles indicates that cargo retention is tuned by the RNA-coat protein interaction

by NANOSENSORS
12 February 202512 February 2025
Science & Technology

Fig. 6 from María J. Rodríguez-Espinosa et al. 2023: Model depicting the RNA cargo retention for each VLP variant. The Δ45-CP VLP structure (A) does not show externalized cargo. The CP VLP structure (B) shows shorter N-terminals compared to the Ht-CP structure (C), which implies less RNA cargo retention compared to the Ht-CP structure. The cartoons in blue, green and pink colors represent coat protein, RNA and N-terminal, respectively. For mechanical fatigue experiments, rectangular AFM cantilevers (NANOSENSORS™, uniqprobe qp-BioAC AFM probes with three different AFM cantilevers per chip) with nominal spring constants of 0.05 and 0.1 N m−1 were used. The AFM cantilevers were calibrated using Sader's method.

The idea of using virus-like particles as nanocarriers for heterologous cargo transport and delivery requires controlling the stability of the container–cargo system.* In particular, the… Read More »Mechanical disassembly of human picobirnavirus like particles indicates that cargo retention is tuned by the RNA-coat protein interaction

Mitochondrial-derived vesicles retain membrane potential and contain a functional ATP synthase

by NANOSENSORS
15 March 202415 March 2024
Science & Technology

Figure 2 B from Reut Hazan et al. 2023 “Mitochondrial‐derived vesicles retain membrane potential and contain a functional ATP synthase”: Characterization of MDVs from wild‐type mitochondria B. Atomic force microscopy. Representative AFM image and a 3D AFM image of one representative vesicle (WT), adsorbed on a mica modified with Mg2+ and imaged under PBS. Please refer to the full article cited below to view the full figure. NANOSENSORSTM uniqprobeTM qp-BioAC-CI AFM probes with rounded AFM tips designed for cell imaging were used for the characterization by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in QI mode.

Vesicular transport is a means of communication. * While cells can communicate with each other via secretion of extracellular vesicles, less is known regarding organelle‐to… Read More »Mitochondrial-derived vesicles retain membrane potential and contain a functional ATP synthase

Celebrating 10 years NANOSENSORS Uniqprobe uniform quality AFM probes

NANOSENSORS uniqprobe AFM cantilever with partial coating

10 years ago at MRS Fall 2013 NANOSENSORS introduced the first types of the Uniqprobe – uniform quality SPM probes series. During these 10 years… Read More »Celebrating 10 years NANOSENSORS Uniqprobe uniform quality AFM probes

Male-female communication enhances release of extracellular vesicles leading to high fertility in Drosophila

by NANOSENSORS
28 October 202215 March 2023
Science & Technology

Fig. 5 from “Male-female communication enhances release of extracellular vesicles leading to high fertility in Drosophila” by Javier Arturo Sanchez-Lopez et al.: The spermatheca releases EVs with specific characteristics. a–e The spermathecae (SSC > CD63-GFP) were cultured ex vivo to characterize the particles that were released to the spent media: a size distribution of CD63-GFP-positive particles (n = 25 spermathecae from 15 flies) using single-particle tracking of the Nanoimager. b Characterization of CD63-GFP particles by ExoView (100 spermathecae from 50-60 flies) using anti-GFP or anti-CD63. c Representative dSTORM image of EVs found in the spent media of SSC expressing CD63-GFP (n = 25 spermathecae from 15 flies), stained with AlexaFluor555 conjugated anti-CD63 primary antibody. The image shows CD63-GFP-positive EVs and single CD63 AlexaFluor555 molecules the EV’s surface. Scale bars = 1 µm and insets = 20 nm. d–e The morphology of EVs in the spent media was observed by e negative staining in STEM; scale bar = 200 nm; and by d Cryo-TEM; Scale bar = 100 nm (see also Supplementary Fig. 5a-c). f–i The spent media of ex vivo cultured spermathecae were analyzed for the presence of EVs: f Representative AFM scans of SSC-EVs isolated by acoustic sorting (n = 100 spermathecae from 70 flies), showing from left to right: height (nm), adhesion (pN) and Young’s modulus images (MPa). Scale bars = 100 nm (see Supplementary Fig. 5d–g). g–i Single-particle tracking in the nanoimager. g CellMaskTM-positive particle size distribution and concentration profiles of EVs in the spent media of spermathecae incubated in media alone (No ecdy) or with ecdysone (Ecdy) (see also Supplementary Movie 5 for a time lapse of spermathecae end apparatus and endosomal activity post-ecdysone stimulation and methods, ex vivo spermatheca culture section); media with only CellMaskTM stain served as a control for the formation of dye aggregates. h Particle concentration and i mean particle diameter (nm) from g; Box plots are the measurements of particles from four frames of spent media from 25 spermathecae; boxes represent maximum, median and minimum values with outliers; one-way ANOVA, with nonparametric Wilcoxon multiple comparison post-hoc test; *p

The female reproductive tract (female-RT) must decipher the repertoire of molecular cues received from the male during copulation in order to activate and coordinate tract… Read More »Male-female communication enhances release of extracellular vesicles leading to high fertility in Drosophila

Cerosomes as skin repairing agent: Mode of action studies with a model stratum corneum layer at liquid/air and liquid/solid interfaces

by NANOSENSORS
23 March 202215 March 2023
Science & Technology

Fig. 7 from “Cerosomes as skin repairing agent: Mode of action studies with a model stratum corneum layer at liquid/air and liquid/solid interfaces” by F. Strati et al: AFM scans of a) SC model monolayer transferred via LB method onto mica support, b) SC model monolayer after injection of cerosomes, c) SC model monolayer after injection of cerosome + S75-3 formulation, and d) SC model monolayer after injection of S75-3 liposomal formulation. All samples were transferred via the LS method onto glass substrate. Each experiment was performed at 20°C and the subphase used for a) was Millipore water while for b), c), and d) the same aqueous solutions have been used as for the formulation of the liposomes. Topographical images were recorded in liquid state using NANOSENSORS uniqprobe qp-BioT AFM probes in a standard liquid cell containing the needed buffer.

The human skin is the second largest organ of the human body. The stratum corneum (SC) is the outmost layer of the human skin and… Read More »Cerosomes as skin repairing agent: Mode of action studies with a model stratum corneum layer at liquid/air and liquid/solid interfaces

Supercritical carbon dioxide decellularization of plant material to generate 3D biocompatible scaffolds

by NANOSENSORS
29 October 202115 March 2023
Science & Technology

Figure 3 from “Supercritical carbon dioxide decellularization of plant material to generate 3D biocompatible scaffolds AFM imaging and spectrometry measurement” by Ashlee F. Harris et al.: They used AFM surface topography measurements to confirm that the structures such as plant vasculature were preserved after the scSO2 process and used AFM force curves to calculate the Young’s Modulus (YM) of the scCO2 decellularized scaffold. NANOSENSORS uniqprobe qp-BioAC AFM probes were used for the described AFM measurments. (a) Representative false colored three-dimensional surface mapping images and (b) Young’s modulus of scCO2 and chemically decellularized scaffolds (data as mean ± SEM; n = 5).

Biocompatible scaffolds that can be repopulated with human cells have many uses such serving as replacement organs and tissues. Therefore there is an increasing interest… Read More »Supercritical carbon dioxide decellularization of plant material to generate 3D biocompatible scaffolds

Soft, drift-reduced AFM cantilevers for Biology and Life Sciences – Uniqprobe Screencast passes the 1000 views mark

by NANOSENSORS
6 August 202015 March 2023
Inside NANOSENSORS, News & Events, Videos

The screencast on the soft, drift-reduced NANOSENSORS™ uniqprobe cantilevers for biology and life science applications held by Dr. Laure Aeschimann has just passed the 1000… Read More »Soft, drift-reduced AFM cantilevers for Biology and Life Sciences – Uniqprobe Screencast passes the 1000 views mark