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Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion
Published on: September 2, 2011
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Surface roughness mediated adhesion forces between borosilicate glass and gram-positive bacteria
Emily Preedy1, Stefano Perni, Damijan Nipiĉ
1Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science and ‡Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University , Cardiff CF10 3XQ, UK.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|July 15, 2014
Summary
Surface roughness significantly impacts bacterial adhesion to materials, especially after protein coating. Understanding nanoscale topography is crucial for preventing implant-associated infections by common pathogens like Staphylococci and Streptococci.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Microbiology
Background:
- Surface characteristics, particularly roughness at the nanoscale, influence adhesive forces between materials.
- Bacterial adhesion to surfaces can lead to biofilm formation, increasing resistance to removal and causing implant-related infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between surface roughness and bacterial adhesion forces on borosilicate glass.
- To evaluate the effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) coating on surface properties and bacterial adhesion.
Main Methods:
- Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to measure surface roughness (Ra) on varying scales.
- Adhesion forces between bacterial cells (Staphylococci and Streptococci) and substrates were measured.
- Microbial adhesion to solvents test determined bacterial hydrophilicity.
Main Results:
- Adhesion forces correlated better with surface roughness when measured at scales comparable to bacterial cells (2 × 2 microm).
- BSA coating altered surface roughness, and adhesion forces correlated better with the actual roughness of BSA-coated surfaces.
- BSA coating increased surface hydrophilicity and electron donor characteristics, leading to increased adhesion of hydrophilic bacteria.
Conclusions:
- Surface roughness measurement scale is critical for accurate correlation with bacterial adhesion.
- BSA coating significantly modifies surface properties, influencing bacterial adhesion.
- Understanding surface-bacterial interactions is vital for developing strategies against implant-associated infections.
