High resolution imaging of lipid/protein Langmuir-Blodgett films by atomic force microscopy

In this paper a few examples of high resolution imaging of biologically relevant thin films by atomic force microscopy are given. In a first part, images of Langmuir-Blodgett films constituted of lipids are presented; molecular or submolecular resolution images are shown in the case of dipalmytoylphosphatidylethanolamine; the arrangement of complexes constituted of three molecules of elaidic acid condensed on one trivalent terbium ion are also shown. In a second part, a mixed protein/lipid is studied; images related to a mixed film of behenic acid and glucose oxidase are presented: a two-dimensionnal arrangement of glucose oxidase molecules is shown; in an other case a behenic acid layer on top of such a glucose oxidase arrangement is shown with molecular resolution. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.