Examination of mitochondria exposed to 1,2-dimethylhydrazine using the atomic force microscope and other techniques

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) can be used for studying biological molecules and membranes at the molecular and atomic level of detail. AFM is used to image outer surface features of intact mitochondria isolated from MCF7 cells. A method has been developed to retain native structure and functionality of the organelle. Functionality is determined by monitoring the respiration rate of the mitochondria. Toxicity of the mitochondria is commonly seen as swelling of the organelle. The mitochondria structure is monitored using the AFM. The images obtained have shown reproducible membrane surface features and are comparable to images obtained using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine causes a decrease in mitochondrial respiration accompanied by an increase in size of the mitochondria as visualized with AFM and TEM. AFM is a tool that can be combined with other techniques to study the effects of drugs on cellular components.