Figure 1.

Simulation of the tip-sample dilation occurring in imaging a MT decorated with kinesin. The left image shows a MT with 25 nm diameter and 13 protofilaments. The MT is decorated with kinesin motors in different orientations, with either both heads bound to two parallel protofilaments, along one protofilament, or with just one single head bound. The right image shows the dilation caused by scanning with a 15 nm parabolic tip. The lateral dimensions get exaggerated by the tip-sample dilation, but the heads remain clearly visible and their axial spacing is not affected.