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Biofilms in Infections of the Eye

The ability to form biofilms in a variety of environments is a common trait of bacteria, and may represent one of the earliest defenses against predation. Biofilms are multicellular communities usually held together by a polymeric matrix, ranging from capsular material to cell lysate. In a structure...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Bispo, Paulo J. M., Haas, Wolfgang, Gilmore, Michael S.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2015
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4384075/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25806622
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens4010111
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author Bispo, Paulo J. M.
Haas, Wolfgang
Gilmore, Michael S.
author_facet Bispo, Paulo J. M.
Haas, Wolfgang
Gilmore, Michael S.
author_sort Bispo, Paulo J. M.
collection PubMed
description The ability to form biofilms in a variety of environments is a common trait of bacteria, and may represent one of the earliest defenses against predation. Biofilms are multicellular communities usually held together by a polymeric matrix, ranging from capsular material to cell lysate. In a structure that imposes diffusion limits, environmental microgradients arise to which individual bacteria adapt their physiologies, resulting in the gamut of physiological diversity. Additionally, the proximity of cells within the biofilm creates the opportunity for coordinated behaviors through cell–cell communication using diffusible signals, the most well documented being quorum sensing. Biofilms form on abiotic or biotic surfaces, and because of that are associated with a large proportion of human infections. Biofilm formation imposes a limitation on the uses and design of ocular devices, such as intraocular lenses, posterior contact lenses, scleral buckles, conjunctival plugs, lacrimal intubation devices and orbital implants. In the absence of abiotic materials, biofilms have been observed on the capsule, and in the corneal stroma. As the evidence for the involvement of microbial biofilms in many ocular infections has become compelling, developing new strategies to prevent their formation or to eradicate them at the site of infection, has become a priority.
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spelling pubmed-43840752015-05-18 Biofilms in Infections of the Eye Bispo, Paulo J. M. Haas, Wolfgang Gilmore, Michael S. Pathogens Review The ability to form biofilms in a variety of environments is a common trait of bacteria, and may represent one of the earliest defenses against predation. Biofilms are multicellular communities usually held together by a polymeric matrix, ranging from capsular material to cell lysate. In a structure that imposes diffusion limits, environmental microgradients arise to which individual bacteria adapt their physiologies, resulting in the gamut of physiological diversity. Additionally, the proximity of cells within the biofilm creates the opportunity for coordinated behaviors through cell–cell communication using diffusible signals, the most well documented being quorum sensing. Biofilms form on abiotic or biotic surfaces, and because of that are associated with a large proportion of human infections. Biofilm formation imposes a limitation on the uses and design of ocular devices, such as intraocular lenses, posterior contact lenses, scleral buckles, conjunctival plugs, lacrimal intubation devices and orbital implants. In the absence of abiotic materials, biofilms have been observed on the capsule, and in the corneal stroma. As the evidence for the involvement of microbial biofilms in many ocular infections has become compelling, developing new strategies to prevent their formation or to eradicate them at the site of infection, has become a priority. MDPI 2015-03-23 /pmc/articles/PMC4384075/ /pubmed/25806622 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens4010111 Text en © 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
spellingShingle Review
Bispo, Paulo J. M.
Haas, Wolfgang
Gilmore, Michael S.
Biofilms in Infections of the Eye
title Biofilms in Infections of the Eye
title_full Biofilms in Infections of the Eye
title_fullStr Biofilms in Infections of the Eye
title_full_unstemmed Biofilms in Infections of the Eye
title_short Biofilms in Infections of the Eye
title_sort biofilms in infections of the eye
topic Review
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4384075/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25806622
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens4010111
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