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Cell Microsystems Acquires Fluxion Biosciences to Broaden Cell Analysis Product and Services Portfolio. Read the Press Release

At Fluxion, we’re passionate about delivering cell-based solutions that facilitate the transformation of research discoveries into new ways to diagnose and treat patients. By characterizing molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease, Fluxion’s platforms help bridge the translational medicine gap, enabling rapid advances in disease research, drug discovery, and the development of diagnostic tests.

Oral Biofilms

and dental disease research

Featured Article

The consistent application of hydrogen peroxide controls biofilm growth and removes Vermamoeba vermiformis from multi-kingdom in-vitro dental unit water biofilms

Water systems within a dental unit are often contaminated with biofilms from multiple kingdoms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa. If these microorganisms become aerosolized, both patients and dental staff may become infected with potentially harmful pathogens.  


In this recently published featured article, Hoogenkamp et al. examined the effectiveness of multiple treatment regimens using hydrogen peroxide with Oxygenal to disinfect dental units. To determine the most effective regimen, a BioFlux cellular analysis system was used to construct a translational in-vitro dynamic flow model to simulate multi-kingdom biofilms on dental unit water systems. 

 

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Hoogenkamp et al. - H2O2 controls biofilm growth and removes v vermiformis_image

All bacteria occupy natural niches in which they proliferate. Organisms that can be isolated from the environment present a concern as opportunistic pathogens which grow as biofilms in wounds. Likewise, the bacteria that make up the flora of the oral cavity have complex relationships within biofilms that ultimately contribute to pathogenesis in the oral cavity as well as in other organs of the body. In order to study such relationships among bacteria, it is necessary to inoculate and culture the organism under shear flow.

The BioFlux system is a microfluidic platform designed to run automated shear flow protocols for cell biology and microbiology experiments in high throughput.

oral+biofilms

With a 60 second exposure to a solution with pH neutral L-arginine monohydrochloride (LAHCl), oral multi-species biofilms developed in flowing cell free saliva (CFS) reduced in volume. LAHCI enhances antimicrobial effectiveness of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). The figure shows 20 hour old biofilms developed from pooled cell-containing saliva (CCS) in flowing CFS in a BioFlux system. Green signal represents live cells whereas the red signal represents dead or damaged cells (Rickard et al., 2015).

lahci

Comparisons of different abundances of bacteria genera are shown color-coded above, as well as the impact of CFS and LAHCI on the bacteria biovolume. The far right bar shows the magnified view of the CFS and LAHCI treatment (Rickard et al., 2015).

Key BioFlux Advantages For Oral Biofilm Studies

  • The BioFlux does not require the use of artificial media or defined species during any point of the experiment

  • In vitro techniques perfectly mimic the flowing conditions that occur in the human oral cavity, such as pH, temperature, shear, and overall saliva properties

  • Microfluidic channels have no need for large pools of saliva as a media source, unlike larger systems such as flowcells or constant depth film fermentors (CDFFs)

  • Allow for analysis of both short and long term effects of foreign substances on the biofilm by utilizing continuous, controlled flow and fresh nutrients for the channels

  • View the impact of anti-biofilm and antimicrobial substances on biofilms to study antibiotic tolerance and susceptibility

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