Direct observation of uncoated spectrin with atomic force microscope

【摘要】 <正> Spectrin molecules extracted from human blood ceil membrane have been examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) without using shadowing or staining procedures. A drop of the solution containing spectrin molecules was deposited on the freshly deaved mica substrate. After about 1 min, the residual solution was removed with a piece of filter paper. Afterwards the sample was imaged with a home-made atomic force microscope (AFM) in air in a constant force mode. The obtained AFM images revealed that the spectrin molecules prepared from the above procedures exhibit several kinds of structures as follows: (i) the compact rod-like spectrin heterodimers with a length of around 100 nm; (ii) bent or curved linear tetramers with a length of around 200 nm; (iii) somewhat curved spectrin hexamers, octomers or decamers with lengths of about 300, 400, or 500 nm; and (iv) high oligomers with a length above 1 000 nm.更多还原

【Abstract】 Spectrin molecules extracted from human blood ceil membrane have been examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) without using shadowing or staining procedures. A drop of the solution containing spectrin molecules was deposited on the freshly deaved mica substrate. After about 1 min, the residual solution was removed with a piece of filter paper. Afterwards the sample was imaged with a home-made atomic force microscope (AFM) in air in a constant force mode. The obtained AFM images revealed that the spectrin molecules prepared from the above procedures exhibit several kinds of structures as follows: (i) the compact rod-like spectrin heterodimers with a length of around 100 nm; (ii) bent or curved linear tetramers with a length of around 200 nm; (iii) somewhat curved spectrin hexamers, octomers or decamers with lengths of about 300, 400, or 500 nm; and (iv) high oligomers with a length above 1 000 nm.更多还原