Quantitative, Label-Free Detection of the Aggregation of α-Synuclein Using Microcantilever Arrays Operated in a Liquid Environment

Figure 2

Schematic of the experimental device and measurement procedure. A LabVIEW program controls a frequency generator which sends a sinusoidal frequency signal to the piezo actuator. The cantilever is swept through a range of frequencies, and the response of the cantilever is detected using optical beam deflection. The signal from the PSD is then amplified before being processed by the LabVIEW program to create a frequency spectrum. The peaks of the frequency spectrum correspond to the flexural resonance modes of the cantilever. The frequency spectra generated during the experiment are then processed to give a frequency versus time plot, and hence the change in bound mass versus time can be determined.