Fig. 1 Stages of biofilm formation on materials surfaces[22]
Unlike microorganisms in their free state, biofilms are coordinated,
functional, membrane-like complexes in which different species of
microorganisms have diverse and extensive communication, cooperation,
and competition [23]. Biofilms have a complex
structure and function, providing a relatively stable environment for
the microorganisms within the membrane to survive and cope with the
damage caused by adverse factors [25]. For
microorganisms, biofilm formation has three[22,26] benefits: (1) the ability to cluster
against unfavorable environments (antibiotics or host stress); (2)
access to nutrients that are difficult to obtain individually; and (3)
access to new genetic information through genetic drift.