扫描离子电导显微镜的原理及应用

Principle and Applications of Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy

扫描离子电导显微镜(SICM)是一种扫描探针显微技术,通过测定超微玻璃管探针的离子电流,它能够非接触地扫描样品表面,进而研究样品的形貌及性质。SICM具有成像分辨率高、探针易于制备和对被成像物体无损伤等特点,特别适用于研究生理条件下的活体细胞,是一种与扫描电化学显微镜及原子力显微镜互补的扫描探针显微镜技术。SICM能够对软界面及表面,如活细胞表面的显微结构,进行高分辨率成像;并能够与其它技术联用,研究细胞形貌与功能的关系;还能控制沉积特定分子,实现纳米尺度的显微操作与加工。本文对SICM的发展历史、仪器构造、基本原理及应用进行了综述。

Scanning ion conductance microscopy(SICM) is one type of scanning probe microscopy(SPM) techniques.By measuring the ionic current of an ultra-micropipette,it can be used to map the surface topography of a sample at high resolution without any contact.SICM has many remarkable advantages,such as high spatial resolution,simple preparation of the probe and no damage to the sample surface,particularly suitable for imaging living cells under physiological condition.Therefore,SICM is an important scanning probe microscopy technique complementary to scanning electrochemical microscopy and atomic force microscopy.SICM has been employed to image soft interfaces and surfaces,such as cell surface and its microstructure.In addition,SICM can be used in conjunction with other techniques to study the relationship between cell topography and function;it can also control the deposition of specific molecules to achieve nanometer-scale microscopic operation and fabrication.Herein,the history,principle,instrumentation,applications and prospects of SICM have been reviewed.