Mimicking biofilm formation and development: Recent progress in in vitro and in vivo biofilm models

Abstract

Biofilm formation in living organisms is associated to tissue and implant infections, and it has also been linked to the contribution of antibiotic resistance. Thus, understanding biofilm development and being able to mimic such processes is vital for the successful development of antibiofilm treatments and therapies. Several decades of research have contributed to building the foundation for developing in vitro and in vivo biofilm models. However, no such thing as an ''all fit'' in vitro or in vivo biofilm models is currently available. In this review, in addition to presenting an updated overview of biofilm formation, we critically revise recent approaches for the improvement of in vitro and in vivo biofilm models.

Biofilm Formation in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated in Cystic Fibrosis Patients Is Strain-Dependent and Differentially Influenced by Antibiotics

“…In this context, the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy is reduced within the biofilm and approaches targeting bacterial biofilms in cystic fibrosis airways are required (Martin et al, 2021). However, as recently stated by Guzmán-Soto et al (2021), "for the successful development of antibiofilm treatments and therapies, understanding biofilm development and being able to mimic such processes is vital. " Several natural or synthetic compounds have shown to be active on biofilm formed by S. aureus (Miquel et al, 2016).…”

“…These studies underline the limitations of in vitro studies of bacterial biofilms, particularly the poor reproducibility of certain methods and the influence of cultivation conditions. Considering these limitations, a variety of protocols and methods for in vitro drug activity testing against staphylococcal biofilms has been successively introduced with the aim of standardizing protocols and improving inter-laboratory reproducibility, including microfluidics systems which more closely approximate natural biofilms (Benoit et al, 2010;Guzmán-Soto et al, 2021).…”

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Clostridioides difficile Biofilm as a Reservoir for Recurrent Infections

“…Biofilm formation is the differential process of planktonic cells to bacterial communities embedded into a thick enclosed-matrix that may or may not be attached to a surface [ 6 ]. Biofilm that are not attached to a surface are typically called aggregate biofilms whereas those attached to a surface are called attached biofilms [ 7 ]. Biofilm formation in vitro follows a process composed of five stages.…”

Modular 3D-Printed Peg Biofilm Device for Flexible Setup of Surface-Related Biofilm Studies

“…Device-related biofilms are commonly at the center of experimental biofilm studies in vitro, probably because the growth on artificial non-living surfaces is easier to control and analyze than, for example, growth as aggregates in sputum. Even so, biofilms and research approaches to study them are so diverse that it is impossible to have a one-size-fits-all assay, and as reviewed elsewhere, numerous published models have been extensively employed (Lebeaux et al, 2013;Guzmań-Soto et al, 2021). When choosing a model system, there are many important parameters to consider, of which biological relevance, ease of use, and high throughput are among the most important.…”