Using force-distance based AFM at high-resoution we image single receptor at sub-nanometer resolution and quantify the interactions forces of a given ligand with the receptor. Recent developments allow us to simultaneously image the contour of native receptors at a resolution of 1-3 nm and decipher the ligand-binding free energy landscape.
Studying biological processes in the cellular context has extended and changed our understanding of cell surface biology. Recent technical developments now allow us to image and localize molecule on living cells (in controlled atmosphere, temperature and CO2 concentration) and to follow dynamic processes.