Morphology Of Human Tumor Cell Membrane Observed By AFM And Its Diagnostic Value

ObjectivesTo observe cells surface changes in the structure of different types of human tumor cells and corresponding normal cells by atomic force microscope (AFM). To find the rules and analyze their common characteristics and diagnostic value.Material and MethodsSelecting the epithelial tumors (hepatocellular carcinoma cells, cervical squamous cell carcinoma, breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma, follicular thyroid cancer cells, cultured human cervical cancer cells and human breast cancer cells), mesenchymal tumors (cultured human fibroblasts cancerous cells), lymphatic hematopoietic tissue tumors (diffuse large B cell lymphoma), nerve tissue tumors (infiltrating astrocytoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, pleomorphic glial blastoma), and scanning these specimens from tumor cells and their normal cells with AFM, analysising the image data of the cell surface by scanning with analysis software. Results1.epithelial tumorsUnder AFM scanning the surface of cervical surface cells and middle cells was seen carpet-like, protruding smaller, more flat; the underlying cell membrane protrusions is larger and ruler than the middle cell, the surface is rougher, cells are larger; HPV infection in cell membrane processes began to increase, order still rules; cervical CIN2-3 cell surface more rough, more densely distributed in the membrane, and can see the convergence of many processes; cervical cancer cell surface more rough, there are many large integration processes, uneven distribution, similar to the gully. Normal cervical squamous epithelial cells from the surface to the middle cell, bottom cell and then to HPV infected cells, CIN2-3 cells and cancer cells, the average roughness of the surface increases, the mean pairwise statistical significance between two groups (P<0.05).Normal liver cell surface is relatively smooth, protruding less sparse distribution in the membrane; cirrhosis cell surface is relatively rough, raised more than densely distributed in the membrane; liver cancer cell membrane surface is more rough, raised more very densely distributed in the membrane. The roughness values of cell membrane was statistically significant between three groups (P<0.05).Normal breast cell surface is relatively smooth, protruding less sparsely distributed in the cell membrane; hyperplasia cell surface roughness, protrusions were significantly increased compared with normal breast, in the dense membrane; breast cancer cell surface is more rough than the breast hyperplasia, prominence in the film more densely distributed and there is convergence, the performance bump diameter increases. The roughness values of cell membrane was statistically significant between three groups (P<0.05).Normal thyroid cell surface uplift smooth, uniform, regular shape, arrangement, moderate density; follicular thyroid adenoma cells than normal cells, the surface uplift of rough, uneven distribution, shape becoming irregular and disordered arrangement began, bumps was between the cracks "ditch-like" each other through cracks; thyroid follicular cancer of the membrane surface is more rough, more uneven distribution of bumps, very irregular shape, some uplift was "knife-like", but also some of uplift was "bread-like" arrangement of uneven bumps than the adenoma cells between the cracks widened, was "gully-like" bumps on the width and height were significantly increased. The roughness values of cell membrane was statistically significant between three groups (P<0.05).The cell membrane of Hela cell is composed of round, oval, long strips, triangles, irregular-shaped uplift of the major differences. The structure of the bulge is close to each other and forms gap-like depression between them. Uplift structure of full, smooth, arranged closely, the roughness values of cell membrane was 45.161 nm±2.732 nm.The cell membrane of MCF-7 cell is composed of a circle, triangle, strip, the uplift of size difference, the structure of the bulge is close to each other and forms gap-like depression between them. Uplift structure of smooth, plump, medium density arrangement, the roughness values of cell membrane was 40.521 nm±2.432 nm.2.mesenchymal tumor:normal cultured Fb cells and Ma-Fb cells is different in shapes. Fb cells is branch-like and its nucleus is oval-shaped. The cell membrane of cell is composed of round, oval and the bulge of the same size, the bulge structure near each other to form a gap-like depression between them. Uplift structure of full, smooth, moderate degree of alignment density, the roughness values of cell membrane was 61.191 nm±0.852 nm. Ma-Fb cells significantly reduced the size of the branch less or even disappear, oval or irregular nuclei. Uplift structure of the membrane increases significantly by a circle, triangle, polygon, irregular-shaped and other shapes of the bulge structure, the size is difference between the uplift of the poor, the gaps between them has become large or a round hole-like, or irregular shape, uneven surface uplift, arrangement is also uneven density, the roughness values of cell membrane was 75.761 nm±3.562 nm.3. Hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms:the membrane surface of B lymphocytes within normal lymph nodes under AFM scanning is carpet-like, protruding smaller, more flat, arranged in the rules; the membrane surface protrusions of B lymphocytes within reactive hyperplasia lymph node is different sizes, arranged in no rules; the membrane surface fusion of tumor cell within diffuse large B cell lymphoma is a lot of great prominence, uneven distribution, similar to the gully. The roughness values of cell membrane was statistically significant between three groups (P<0.05).4. Nerve tissue tumors:the membrane surface uplift of tumor cells within the next infiltrating astrocytoma under AFM scanning is smooth, uniform, regular shape, arrangement, moderate density. The membrane surface uplift of tumor cells within anaplastic astrocytoma is more rough, uneven distribution, shape becoming irregular, disordered arrangement started; and the membrane surface uplift of tumor cells within glioblastoma multiforme is more rough, more uneven distribution of bumps, very irregular shape, some uplift was "knife-like", there's uplift was "bread-like" bumps on the width and height were significantly increased, arrangement has been varied missing. The roughness values of cell membrane was statistically significant between three groups (P<0.05).Conclusions1. Cell membrane surface structure of the different histological types is different and cell membrane surface structure of the same kinds of tissue types is different.2. Tumor cell membrane surface structure of the different histological types is different and tumor cell membrane surface structure of the same kinds of tissue types is different.3. Their common characteristics are that the normal cells of the same kind is from proliferation cells in the transition to tumor cells, their cell surface from the relatively smooth, the shape and the structure of uplift and depression is uniform size, to the membrane structure of the malignant cell is various shapes and sizes of uplift increases, different types of cells from normal tissue to develop into cancer, cell surface structure shows a series of changes, gradually increasing the number of cell processes, cell membrane, the average surface roughness increases.4. Cell membrane structure between normal cells and tumor cell of the same tissue-derived is significant differences, even the two have similar morphology when the single cell observation, the tumor cells can be clearly determined.