Abstract
Microbial biofilm modeling has improved in sophistication and scope, although only a limited number of standardized protocols are available. This review presents an example of a biofilm model, along with its evolution and application in studying periodontal and peri-implant diseases. In 2011, the ETEP (Etiology and Therapy of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases) research group at the University Complutense of Madrid developed an in vitro biofilm static model using representative bacteria from the subgingival microbiota, demonstrating a pattern of bacterial colonization and maturation similar to in vivo subgingival biofilms. When the model and its methodology were standardized, the ETEP research group employed the validated in vitro biofilm model for testing in different applications. The evolution of this model is described in this manuscript, from the mere observation of biofilm growth and maturation on static models on hydroxyapatite or titanium discs, to the evaluation of the impact of dental implant surface composition and micro-structure using the dynamic biofilm model. This evolution was based on reproducing the ideal microenvironmental conditions for bacterial growth within a bioreactor and reaching the target surfaces using the fluid dynamics mimicking the salivary flow. The development of this relevant biofilm model has become a powerful tool to study the essential processes that regulate the formation and maturation of these important microbial communities, as well as their behavior when exposed to different antimicrobial compounds.
Highlights
Bacterial biofilms can be defined as complex, functionally and structurally organized sessile microbial communities, characterized by a multi-species diversity that synthesize an extracellular, biologically active polymer matrix, which anchors cells to each other as well as to surfaces [1,2,3]
The results demonstrated the ability of the tested compounds in controlling biofilm growth and maturation, corroborating the antimicrobial efficacy that the listed agents have shown in clinical studies [77]
We investigated the antimicrobial activity of two omega3 fatty acids (PUFAs), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
Summary
Bacterial biofilms can be defined as complex, functionally and structurally organized sessile microbial communities, characterized by a multi-species diversity that synthesize an extracellular, biologically active polymer matrix (exopolysaccharides, EPS), which anchors cells to each other as well as to surfaces [1,2,3]. A limited number of standardized protocols are available [16,19,20,21,22,23] and, among them, some have been widely cited: biofilms formed by opportunistic human pathogens Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa [12,13]; the chronic wound biofilm model with P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and Enterococcus faecalis [14]; and biofilms involving fungi, mainly Candida species [15] This manuscript reports the application of an in vitro biofilm model used in periodontal research and the evolution and improvement of this model to develop representative models of periodontal and peri-implant biofilms
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