Fig. 5
Nanomechanical detection of cancer cells in a model for breast cancer. a Schematic diagram showing attachment of malignant cells (white) to the cantilever surface. b The sketch shows a close-up image of the cell-receptor complex on the nanomechanical cantilever surface as used for the detection of mechanical response. c Merge image of DAPI-stained MDA-MB231 cells (blue) attached on a cantilever sensor, showing relatively fewer cells attached on an inert 6-mercapto 1-hexanol (MCH)-coated cantilever (reference) compared to a decapeptide-coated cantilever (measuring) obtained from malignant cancer cells suspended in PBS solution at 25 cells per ml. Scale bar, 100 μm. d Scanning electron microscopy image of a cancer cell attached to the measuring nanomechanical cantilever sensor. Scale bar, 1 μm. The results demonstrate that cantilever sensors have sufficient specificity and sensitivity to detect intact representative cancer cells at low concentrations without the need to use labels or sample processing
