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Updated: Dec 13, 2025

In Situ Mapping of the Mechanical Properties of Biofilms by Particle-tracking Microrheology
Published on: December 4, 2015
The mechanical properties of microbial surfaces and biofilms
Glauber R de S Araújo1, Nathan B Viana2,3,4, Fran Gómez2,3
1Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Abstract:
Microbes can modify their surface structure as an adaptive mechanism for survival and dissemination in the environment or inside the host. Altering their ability to respond to mechanical stimuli is part of this adaptive process. Since the 1990s, powerful micromanipulation tools have been developed that allow mechanical studies of microbial cell surfaces, exploring little known aspects of their dynamic behavior. This review concentrates on the study of mechanical and rheological properties of bacteria and fungi, focusing on their cell surface dynamics and biofilm formation.
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