General Biological Biofilm Observation and Evaluation

Abstract

This chapter describes some general observation methods and techniques used by biologists to investigate biofilms. Scientists usually stain targets using pigments because some chemicals bind with important components of a bacterial cell. There are many dyeing processes devised by medical and biological researchers. Utilizing them, biofilm researchers have observed biofilm with a fluorescence microscope. This method leads to the observation not only of bacteria but also of exopolymeric substances. The dyeing technique has brought biologists merits for confocal scanning laser microscopy (CLSM), where biofilm has been visualized successfully. This special setup could be mentioned as the most advanced and successful visualization method to evaluate biofilm nowadays.