Microfluidic bioanalytical flow cells for biofilm studies: A review

TL;DR

This review discusses how microfluidic flow cells are revolutionizing biofilm research by enabling precise control and analysis of bacterial biofilms, highlighting recent advances and future directions in the field.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current microfluidic bioanalytical methods for studying biofilms and offers insights into emerging approaches for future research.

Findings

Microfluidic flow cells improve control over biofilm experimental conditions.

Recent lab-on-chip studies have expanded analytical capabilities for biofilm analysis.

Microfluidic techniques are essential for advancing biofilm research in medicine and industry.

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms are among the oldest and most prevalent multicellular life forms on Earth and are increasingly relevant in research areas related to industrial fouling, medicine and biotechnology. The main hurdles to obtaining definitive experimental results include time-varying biofilm properties, structural and chemical heterogeneity, and especially their strong sensitivity to environmental cues. Therefore, in addition to judicious choice of measurement tools, a well-designed biofilm study requires strict control over experimental conditions, more so than most chemical studies. Due to excellent control over a host of physiochemical parameters, microfluidic flow cells have become indispensable in microbiological studies. Not surprisingly, the number of lab-on-chip studies focusing on biofilms and other microbiological systems with expanded analytical capabilities has expanded rapidly in the past decade. In this paper, we comprehensively review the current state of microfluidic bioanalytical research applied to bacterial biofilms and offer a perspective on new approaches that are expected to drive continued advances in this field.