Factors Influencing Bacterial Biofilm Formation and Development
Ghazay F Alotaibi
Abstract
Bacterial communities attached to surfaces and established a protected mode of growth within extracellular matrix substances are defined as a bacterial biofilm. Formation of the biofilm occurs naturally as a result of balancing between a variety of chemical, physical and biological processes. Biofilms form on different surfaces, such as inert materials and living tissues or cells after the surface bacterial adhesion followed by the growth and production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). In this article, biofilm formation from the initial attachment of bacterial cells to the substratum, physiological changes within the microbe, multiplication of adhered cells to form microcolonies, and finally biofilm maturation is reviewed. The review article will also highlight factors involved in biofilm formation. Hopefully, this article will serve as a supportive document for further research into the molecular nature of biofilms.