Characterizing the extracellular matrix for regulating cell behaviors by atomic force microscopy

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in regulating the physiological and pathological processes of cells, and revealing the detailed behaviors of ECM is essential for deciphering the mysteries of life activities. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers a unique and powerful tool to characterize the activities of native ECM with high spatial resolution. In this chapter, applications of AFM in characterizing the structures and properties of ECMs are presented, including measurement of the mechanical properties of decellularized ECMs, structural and mechanical dynamics of basement membranes in tumor metastasis, in situ imaging of cell culture medium-forming nanogranular surface for cell growth, and hierarchical micro-/nanotopography of ECM for tuning cellular structures and mechanics.