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Two-photon lithography for customized microstructured surfaces and their influence on wettability and bacterial load
Sophie Nilsson Zagiczek1, Matthias Weiss-Tessbach2, Manuel Kussmann2
1Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, AKH 4L, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
3D Printing in Medicine
|April 16, 2024
Summary
Microstructured surfaces created with two-photon lithography show varying antibiofilm effects. Bacterial load on these surfaces depends on microstructure size and bacterial type, impacting Pseudomonas aeruginosa more than Staphylococcus aureus.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Surface Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Device-related bacterial infections are a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections.
- Bacterial biofilms on implants often necessitate device removal for effective treatment.
- Antibacterial properties of topographic surfaces are explored as an alternative to antimicrobial substances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the antibiofilm effects of microstructured surfaces fabricated using two-photon lithography.
- To evaluate how different microcylinder dimensions influence bacterial attachment and biofilm formation.
- To assess the relationship between surface topography, wettability, and antibacterial properties.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of microstructured surfaces (flat, 1, 3, 9 μm microcylinders) using two-photon lithography.
- Culturing surfaces with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus for 24 hours.
- Measuring bacterial attachment and surface wettability via static contact angle measurements.
Main Results:
- Surface hydrophobicity increased with microcylinder size.
- Staphylococcus aureus attachment was not significantly affected by microstructures.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa load varied with cylinder size, with a reduction observed on the smallest cylinders for one strain.
Conclusions:
- Two-photon lithography enables rapid, flexible production of microstructured surfaces.
- Microcylinder size influences surface wettability and bacterial load.
- The antibiofilm effectiveness is dependent on the specific bacterial type and strain.
