Extending applications of AFM to fluidic AFM in single living cell and extracellular vesicle studies

In this article, a review of the application of atomic force microscopy (AFM) for the analyses of extracellular vesicles is presented. This information is then extended to include fluidic Atomic Force Microscopy (fluidic AFM) applications. Fluidic AFM is an offshoot of AFM that combines a microfluidic cantilever with AFM and has enabled the research community to conduct biological, pathological, and pharmacological studies on cells at the single-cell level in a liquid environment. AFM applications involving single cell and extracellular vesicle studies, colloidal force spectroscopy, and single cell adhesion measurements are discussed. In this review, new results are offered, using fluidic AFM, to illustrate (1) the speed with which sequential measurements of adhesion using coated colloid beads can be done, (2) the ability to assess lateral binding forces (LBFs) of endothelial or epithelial cells in a confluent cell monolayer in appropriate physiological environment, and (3) the ease of measurement of vertical binding force (VBFs) of intercellular adhesion between heterogeneous cells. Finally, key applications are discussed that include extracellular vesicle absorption, manipulation of a single living cell by intracellular injection, sampling of cellular fluid from a single living cell, patch clamping, and mass measurements of a single living cell.

Single-lobe transplantation with contralateral pneumonectomy: Long-term survival

We report two cases of long-term survival after single living-donor lobar lung transplantation with contralateral pneumonectomy. An 8-year-old female with pulmonary graft-versus-host disease after cord-blood transplantation underwent single living-donor lobar lung transplantation with simultaneous contralateral pneumonectomy due to an oversized graft. She has been performing daily life activities for ≥11 years with limited physical development. A 41-year-old female with short stature underwent single living-donor lobar lung transplantation due to pulmonary graft-versus-host disease after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Contralateral pneumonectomy was required 7 years following living-donor lobar lung transplantation due to pneumonia in the native lung. Eleven years after living-donor lobar lung transplantation, she is able to perform daily life activities.