An Experimentally Validated Biophysical Model for Candida albicans Interactions with Nanofiber-Textured Surfaces

摘要

We have developed a biophysical model that predicts the overall geometry of a cell and its relative stable position with respect to nanofibers deposited on a smooth surface based on the cell's total free energy. When a cell interacted with a nanofiber-textured surface, it responded by adjusting its geometry and relative position to minimize free energy. By extension, our model can also predict the extent of biofilm formation on nanopatterned surfaces, as the surface design that yields the highest cell free energy is expected to yield the lowest cell attachment density. This biophysical model can be extended to other nanostructures and microorganisms for ab initio biomaterial design.