Verification of cell viability at progressively higher scanning forces using a hybrid atomic force and fluorescence microscope.

The prudent use of the atomic force microscope as a supra-vital live cell imaging tool requires that cell viability must be determined before and after scanning. Complementary optical techniques in conjunction with the fluorescent dyes rhodamine-123 and ethidium homodimer have been used within this study to determine cell viability after increasing loads are applied in contact mode. Guideline force ranges for five commonly cultured cell lines, human squamous carcinoma (A431), fibroblast, HeLa, Potorous tridactylis (PtK2) and rat intestinal epithelial (RIE) cells are given.