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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Visualization of Biofilm Formation in Candida albicans Using an Automated Microfluidic Device
Published on: December 14, 2017
Impact of surface topography on biofilm formation by Candida albicans
Katherine Lagree1, Htwe H Mon2, Aaron P Mitchell1
1Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
Abstract:
Candida albicans is a fungal pathogen that causes serious biofilm-based infections. Here we have asked whether surface topography may affect C. albicans biofilm formation. We tested biofilm growth of the prototypical wild-type strain SC5314 on a series of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) solids. The surfaces were prepared with monolayer coatings of monodisperse spherical silica particles that were fused together into a film using silica menisci. The surface topography was varied by varying the diameter of the silica particles that were used to form the film. Biofilm formation was observed to be a strong function of particle size. In the particle size range 4.0-8.0 μm, there was much more biofilm than in the size range 0.5-2.0 μm. The behavior of a clinical isolate from a clade separate from SC5314, strain p76067, showed results similar to that of SC5314. Our results suggest that topographic coatings may be a promising approach to reduce C. albicans biofilm infections.
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