The neaSCOPE assesses composition and organization of proteins at the 10-nm scale
The IR-neaSCOPE + s provides extreme spatial resolution to resolve local properties and interactions in complex biological structures and specimens on the relevant length scales . This label-free technique offers significant improvement for nanoscale fundamental research , spectropathology and clinical applications .
AFM height Amide I absorption image
1 ยต m ~ 67 nm
Amide III reflectivity image
Collagen fibrils
High-resolution IR image of a ca . 100-nm-thick individual collagen fibril acquired by neaSCOPE . Absorption variations with a period of ~ 67nm can clearly be resolved and originate from the characteristic D-banding of collagen . Due to the critical functions of collagen in mammals a detailed study of structure and function of collagen-containing tissue is mandatory to understand diseases involving the destruction or formation of protein aggregations . Local disorder or damage of the fibril would result in modifications of the fibrils structural integrity which can easily be resolved by IR nanoscopy using the neaSCOPE .
IR nanoscopy maps the organization and local interactions of protein subunits at the nanoscale .
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Z . Qiao et al ., Nano Research 2022 , 15 , 2355