AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Bacterial adhesion is the main cause of implant failure, despite the existence of numerous preventive strategies and use of antibiotics. Procedures regarding the sterile environment in the operating theatre have been optimized to a near maximum and due to the fading discovery of new and better antibiotics, combined with the rise of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains, there are decreasing options for treatment. Surface coating of materials has been applied as a biomaterial surface modification to prevent the adhesion of bacteria, the first step in biofilm formation. In this thesis we describe surface modifications to prevent bacterial adhesion using two approaches; 1) by creating surfaces with a repulsive nature towards bacteria, while also presenting regions adhesive to the native human cells, 2) using coated enzymes to bacteria and biofilms. Additionally, even though the initial adhesion of bacteria is a main focus in the prevention of biomaterial associated infections and the number of potential strategies developed to fight bacterial adhesion is increasing, the exact mechanisms remain poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the friction forces between surfaces and bacteria, in order to gain knowledge about the role of lateral forces in the adhesion process. Secondly, we studied the influence of specific interactions between bacteria and surfaces on the lateral forces that arise when bacteria move along the surface.