Imaging living cells surface and quantifying its properties at high resolution using AFM in QI™ mode.

Since the last 10 years, AFM has become a powerful tool to study biological samples. However, the classical modes offered (imaging or tapping mode) often damage sample that are too soft or loosely immobilized. If imaging and mechanical properties are required, it requests long recording time as two different experiments must be conducted independently. In this study we compare the new QI™ mode against contact imaging mode and force volume mode, and we point out its benefit in the new challenges in biology on six different models: Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Chinese hamster ovary cells and their isolated nuclei, and human colorectal tumor cells.