Biological atomic force microscopy: what is achieved and what is needed

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Abstract
Biological atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become a rapidly developing interdisciplinary field of research in recent years. Not only has the technique, including instrumentation and specimen preparation methods, become increasingly sophisticated, but also its applications have encompassed a broad range of interesting subjects in biology. In this review, we present an extensive overview of the current status of biological AFM, including both the instrumentation and the application of AFM. In addition, we discuss the major problems that have yet to be fully resolved and present our analysis of the various factors involved. The published results so far clearly demonstrate the great potential of AFM in structural research and the ability of AFM to make unique contributions to our comprehension of various biological processes.