Toward the nanoscale study of insect physiology using an atomic force microscopy-based nanostethoscope
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Introduction The modern vision for the future of nanotechnology is to develop complex functional “objects” that will be able to operate autonomously and perform useful tasks. Nature offers a promising, already existing “template” to achieve that vision: insects. “Manufacturing” insects is based on self-assembly (natural biological processes) and therefore is economical and technologically friendly. Insects are a precious and yet underutilized source of information for the development of new micromechanical and micro/nano-fluidic systems and biomaterials, and for the utilization of new sensing and reaction mechanisms. The biological mechanisms in these highly diverse species have been developed and optimized by nature for the past 400 million years. Recent studies of insect physiology continue to reveal new mechanisms supporting respiration,1,2 communication,3 hearing,4,5 and other aspects of insect behavior and function. Modern nanotechnology tools offer the possibility to obtain more detailed and newer knowledge about the biomaterials used in insects and their bodily functions, assembly, and communications. At the same time, little exploration has been carried out with modern nanotechnology tools.
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the major innovations that has made the emergence of nanotechnology possible. The AFM technique has become popular in the study of biological materials at the nanoscale.5–7 Demonstrably, AFM is capable of measuring the motion of the surface of biological cells with a resolution of several nanometers.5,8–12 Recently, it has been shown that the AFM technique can be utilized to study complex living organisms, such as insects.13–15 For example, using a special sample stage13,15 designed to keep insect motion partially restricted, AFM can record surface oscillations with sub-Angstrom spatial and sub-millisecond temporal resolution, allowing topographical positioning of the probe at different parts of the insect with a precision of nanometers. In effect, AFM can work as a digital nanostethoscope, recording vibrations of the insect surface or structures on this surface. Insects are covered with a cuticle (exoskeleton covering the surface of insects), and they have small surface-borne hairs and wings. All of these structures should produce simple, non-functional noise when the insect moves and breathes. These structures can also hide the signals associated with the work of internal organs. A recent study,15 however, showed that the observed vibrations
I. Sokolov, Department of Physics and Nanoengineering and Biotechnology Laboratories Center, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY; [email protected] DOI: 10.1557/mrs.2012.91
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MRS BULLETIN • VOLUME 37 • MAY 2012 • www.mrs.org/bulletin
© 2012 Materials Research Society
NANOSCALE STUDY OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY USING AFM-BASED NANOSTETHOSCOPE
come mostly from the motions of internal organs rather than from the cuticle or hair. This article describes how the AFM technique can be applied as a nanostethoscope to “listen” to internal physiologi
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