Application of atomic force microscopy in morphological observation of antisense probe labeled with magnetism.

Purpose: To explore the possibility of the c-erbB2 oncogene antisense probe labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles as a target contrast agent for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging whose morphology was observed with atomic force microscopy (AFM), and its efficiency was examined by MR imaging.
Methods: The c-erbB2 oncogene antisense probe labeled with SPIO was synthesized by a chemical cross-linking approach. Its morphology was observed with AFM.
Results: The chemical constitution of c-erbB2 oncogene antisense probes can be observed with AFM. The molecular structure of probes is easily visualized under AFM. Probes with diameters of 25-40 nm are in order, follow uniformity and the arrangement rule, can be separated from each other, and appear as cubes with a rugged surface morphology. Strong, low signals of the probes in transfected cells were observed by MR cellular imaging.
Conclusions: AFM is ideal for morphological observation and for analyzing the molecular structure of synthesized c-erbB2 oncogene antisense probes.