title: [The influence of starvation on Candida albicans biofilm and persisters formation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of starvation on Candida albicans (C. albicans) biofilm and persisters formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The growth curve was made by CFU counts methods in different culture times to find the exponential and stationary phases. C. albicans in exponential, stationary and starvation phases were developed respectively in 96-well microtiter plates to form 24 h biofilms model. Then the biofilms before and after amphotericin B (100 μg/ml) treatment were quantified to determine the number of live cells. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS17.0 software package. The biofilm structure was observed by confocal scanning laser microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biofilm formation capacity of C. albicans in exponential, stationary and starvation phases reduced successively (P<0.05). The biofilms formed by starved C. albicans were predominately composed of yeast cells, compared with cells in exponential and stationary biofilms, which displayed filamentous growth. The ratios of persisters increased successively (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The formation of C. albicans persisters can be influenced by environment events, and starvation can increase the percentage of persister cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, Key Lab of Oral Biomedicine of Shandong Province. Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, China.E-mail:wuxia5110@163.com.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Hao-yue
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Qing-guo
authors.initials: QG
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms; D002176:Candida albicans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal