Atomic force microscopy studies on growing surfaces of bovine insulin crystals

The morphology and the growth mechanism of the {100} surfaces of 2Zn-insulin crystals were investigated by in situ and ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). The dominant growth mechanism of the insulin crystals is the formation and lateral expansion of two-dimensional (2D) nuclei on the growing surfaces. Several types of dislocation spirals, such as conventional single, double and triple spirals as well as spirals generated by a planar defect,...