Investigation of angiotensin II type 1 receptor by atomic force microscopy with functionalized tip

Although membrane proteins consist of a substantial amount of the human genome and are the main drug targets, the study of cell membrane proteins in situ is complicated by the technical limitations. The recent development of atomic force microscopy (AFM) opens a new way to study the functions of cell membrane proteins in situ at the single-molecule level. A detailed procedure for investigation of angiotensin II type 1 receptor by AFM with functionalized tip is introduced in this article. Some prospective methods to improve the imaging resolution are also discussed.