Imaging and characterisation of the surface of live cells

Determining the organisation of key molecules on the surface of live cells in two dimensions and how this changes during biological processes, such as signaling, is a major challenge in cell biology and requires methods with nanoscale resolution. Recent advances in fluorescence imaging both at the diffraction limit tracking single molecules and exploiting super resolution imaging have now reached a stage where they can provide fundamentally new insights. Complementary developments in scanning ion conductance microscopy also allow the cell surface to be imaged with nanoscale resolution. The challenge now is to combine the information obtained using these different methods and on different cells to obtain a coherent view of the cell surface. In the future this needs to be driven by interdisciplinary research between physical scientists and biologists.

► Studying the organisation and function of the cell surface needs nanoscale methods.
► Nanoscale fluorescence imaging can now image labeled molecules on live cells.
► Fluorescence based method can be used to study protein organisation.
► Nanoscale topographic imaging of the surface of live cells is now possible.
► New insights into the cell surface organisation will come from combinations of these methods.