title: Femtosecond Laser Patterning of the Biopolymer Chitosan for Biofilm Formation.
abstract: Controlling microbial growth is crucial for many biomedical, pharmaceutical and food industry applications. In this paper, we used a femtosecond laser to microstructure the surface of chitosan, a biocompatible polymer that has been explored for applications ranging from antimicrobial action to drug delivery. The influence of energy density on the features produced on chitosan was investigated by optical and atomic force microscopies. An increase in the hydrophilic character of the chitosan surface was attained upon laser micromachining. Patterned chitosan films were used to observe Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) biofilm formation, revealing an increase in the biofilm formation in the structured regions. Our results indicate that fs-laser micromachining is an attractive option to pattern biocompatible surfaces, and to investigate basic aspects of the relationship between surface topography and bacterial adhesion.
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil. estevam.regina@gmail.com.|Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering of São Carlos (USP), São Carlos 13563-120, SP, Brazil. estevam.regina@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estevam-Alves
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil. paulohdf@df.ufscar.br.
authors.forename: Paulo Henrique Dias
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil. andreycoatrini@gmail.com.|Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering of São Carlos (USP), São Carlos 13563-120, SP, Brazil. andreycoatrini@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrey C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Coatrini
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil. chu@ifsc.usp.br.
authors.forename: Osvaldo N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, UNESP-Univ. Estadual Paulista, Campus Araraquara, Departamento de Analises Clinicas, Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil. fontanacr@fcfar.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Carla Raquel
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil. crmendon@ifsc.usp.br.
authors.forename: Cleber Renato
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Mendonca
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001704:Biopolymers; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: bacterial growth; chitosan; fs-laser micromachining; micropatterning