(OP 254) Single Integrin Detection on the Surface of Osteosarcoma Derived Cells by means of Functionalized AFM Probes

• Published in: Tissue engineering. Part A 2008-05, Vol.14 (5), p.777-777
• Main Authors: Soumetz, F C, Pastorino, L, Raiteri, R, Ruggiero, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1937-3341; 1937-335X

Integrins are transmembrane glycoproteins made of non-covalently bonded alfa- and beta-chains. They are involved in cell-extracellular matrix and cell-cell interaction and then in fundamental processes such as cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation [1]. During tissues development, the presence of environmental conditions permissive to cell differentiation is associated with the expression of proper cell surface receptors [2]. To this regards, the possibility to investigate cell membrane at the single molecule level is of high potential in the field of tissue engineering. In this work AFM probes have been successfully functionalised and tested for the detection of integrins expressed on the surface of a line of osteosarcoma-derived osteoblasts named MG-63. To this purpose, monoclonal antibodies specific to the beta 1 subunit of the integrins expressed by this cell line have been covalently immobilized on the tip of silicon nitride AFM cantilevers by means of a bifunctional linker (PEG) [3]. Force curves have been collected in culture medium over the surface of both fixed and living cells obtaining maps of the interaction between the immobilized antibodies and the respective cell membrane receptors. The obtained results demonstrate the possibility to detect specific receptors on the surface of living cells and then the high potential of the AFM technique in the field of tissue engineering to investigate cell response to external environmental conditions.