Instruments and Methods

Atomic force microscopy (AFM)

• Several biocompatible setups can be combined with heating/cooling modules and optical observation (brightfield, fluorescence)
• Ultra speed setup with heating, CO2 incubation system and optical observation (brightfield, fluorescence)
• Cell adhesion setup with petri dish heater and optical observation
• High-performance AFM

Optical Microscopy

• Diverse inverted and upright microscope setups including brightfield, fluorescence and stereo-zoom
• Confocal laser scanning microscopy with FRAP option (excitation at 405 nm, 488 nm and 561 nm) can be combined with AFM and cell-incubation module
• Total internal reflection microscopy (wavelengths of 491 nm and 561 nm), can be combined with AFM
• Time-lapse epifluorescence microscopes with incubation chamber and controlled focus for long term observation of biological samples

Optical Tweezer/Optical Traps

• Setups with flow system, optical observation and multi-trap mode
• can be combined with AFM

Cell surface adhesion methods

• Electrical cell substrate impedance sensing in ambient conditions with wounding option (frequency range from 62.5 Hz to 64 kHz)
• Giant thickness shear mode quartz resonator (quartz crystal microbalance) with especially low frequencies around 600 kHz to measure the cell’s viscoelastic properties

Electron Microscopy

• 30kV Scanning electron microscope with environmental-SEM, STEM, and wet-STEM capabilities

Spectroscopy and Rheology

• Parallel single-molecule force spectroscopy/Acoustic force spectroscopy
• Plate rotation rheometer
• Diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS): optical rheometer for contact-free measurements in gels and solution
• Dynamic light Scattering (DLS) NanoLab 3D
• Spectrofluorometer

Cell Culture (S1)

• Transfection, electroporation
• Protein expression, -purification and -analysis
• Incubation system for optical live cell analysis with temperature control (15-40°C) and gas incubation system for CO2 and O2
• Image-based cytometry for automatic cell viability and cell counting

Membrane Model Systems

• Small, large, and giant unilamellar vesicles (SUVs, LUVs, GUVs)
• Solid supported membranes
• Membrane sheets derived from apical or basal cellular membranes

Cell Manipulation

• Microinjection system for single-cell manipulation
• Micropipette aspiration for mechanical analysis of cells (and vesicles)
• Self-made PDMS-based cell stretcher which is compatible with AFM setups and optical observation
• Pump system to mimic physiological flow conditions

Surface Preparation and Analysis

• Plasma cleaner
• Spin coater
• UV-lamp (irradiation at 365nm and 254 nm)
• Ellipsometry setups with spectral range of 380-900 nm