Nanotracking the molecule's fate in living cells

Accurate understanding of biological processes which are going on in live tissues and cells greatly depends on modern technological advances. Recent development of a wide range of nanotechnological methods ( nano means one billions part of metre) brought biological research at a new level where a single minute biological molecule, like proteins and nucleic acids, can be seen and studied. The main aim of this proposal is to develop a methodology allowing an accurate investigation of individual protein molecules on the surface of living cells. This will be achieved by selective labelling of these membrane proteins with antibodies (specialised group of proteins which will specificaly recognise only certain type of molecules). The antibodies will then be labelled with tiny (~2 000 times less than the diameter of a human hair) magnetic particles. These magnetic particles can then be detected with a special sensitive device called the magnetic force microscope. In addition we also will develop specially designed nanotools which should allow to perform cell nanosurgery using this and similar types of equipment. The establishment of this method not only will advance our understanding of intrinsic mechanisms of various cellular processes, but also could lead to the development of a new area in cell biology: nanomanipulation and nanosergery in living cells.