Abstract

Adult stem cells reside quiescently in vivo, awaiting stimuli to trigger the journey towards a mature functional cell. As stem cells are recruited for tissue repair or regeneration, dynamic cues from the surrounding microenvironment dictate the desired differentiation outcome with precise timing and regulation. Tracking these changes in living cells can be a challenge, particularly in the field of ‘smart’ biomaterials and dynamic stimulation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is gaining recognition as a powerful tool for live cell analysis, far beyond its beginnings in surface analysis. The elegant mechanical approach of AFM enables a gentle, non-destructive in situ measurement of biological systems. Here I will present my research exploring the application of advanced AFM for biological analyses; spanning single molecule measurements through to the biomechanical mapping of entire living stem cells, and onwards to single cell biopsies. I will share the research vision of my group, where we use advanced bioAFM to study how stem cells respond in real time to applied electrical stimulation. We hope to elucidate the mechanisms in how stem cells transduce an electrical signal into a biological one, and in turn how we can control that response for targeted stem cell differentiation.