Fractal properties of cell surface structures: A view from AFM

Abstract Cell surfaces are densely populated with various proteins. Aggregation of these proteins to nanoscale clusters can be critical for various cellular functions such as signaling, motility and division. Quantitative characterization of corresponding structures and their changes might be useful to understand these basic cell processes and serve as an early marker of cellular stress or diseases. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows high-resolution imaging of cell surface structures, resolving fine details of these structures. Moreover, AFM enables simultaneous imaging of cell surface morphology and mapping of its’ mechanical characteristics. This review focuses on applying the fractal dimension measure as a sensitive method to quantify single cell surface structures and their changes from AFM images.