title: Visualizing the Effects of Sputum on Biofilm Development Using a Chambered Coverglass Model.
abstract: Biofilms consist of groups of bacteria encased in a self-secreted matrix. They play an important role in industrial contamination as well as in the development and persistence of many health related infections. One of the most well described and studied biofilms in human disease occurs in chronic pulmonary infection of cystic fibrosis patients. When studying biofilms in the context of the host, many factors can impact biofilm formation and development. In order to identify how host factors may affect biofilm formation and development, we used a static chambered coverglass method to grow biofilms in the presence of host-derived factors in the form of sputum supernatants. Bacteria are seeded into chambers and exposed to sputum filtrates. Following 48 hr of growth, biofilms are stained with a commercial biofilm viability kit prior to confocal microscopy and analysis. Following image acquisition, biofilm properties can be assessed using different software platforms. This method allows us to visualize key properties of biofilm growth in presence of different substances including antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Physiology and Experimental Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children; trevor.beaudoin@sickkids.ca.
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beaudoin
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents