Atomic Force Microscope is a relatively recent instrument in the hands of biologists and medical researchers. It gives high resolution surface images without practically any specimen preparation that is required for imaging surfaces by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Fixation of biomaterials by aldehyde often intrduces artefacts not present in the native state and covering the surface by a thin layer of conducting material like silver or gold mask small surface structures. AFM study of biomaterials can be done in their near native state and even they can be imaged in isotonic medium in living state using a special liquid cell.

We have imaged seed coat surfaces of mung bean and black mustard at nearly atomic resolution showing structures as small as 1.5A. These are probably putative atoms of C,N,O. We have also studied by AFM soft biological materials like red blood cells, sperm cells and protein molecules revealing new structures.