Chemical Elements and Thickness of Candida albicans Biofilm Induced by Glucose, Lactose, Protein, and Iron

Abstract

Objective

Health is the most important aspect that needs to be considered, and the oral cavity cannot be separated from other parts. Candida albicans is a normal flora in the oral cavity that is a major cause of oral candidiasis. Research on biofilms can help prevent oral candidiasis infection in the community. Biofilms are involved in the pathogenesis and could be examined using an electron and fluorescence microscope, which can analyze the whole biofilm in actual conditions. This study aims to determine the chemical elements and thickness of Candida albicans biofilms induced by glucose, lactose, soy protein, and iron.

Materials and Methods

This analytic observational study was carried out by observing the chemical elements and thickness of the biofilm by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). SEM-EDX data analysis used the EDAX APEX software and CLSM used the Olympus FluoView ver 4.2.a.

Results

SEM-EDX examination showed the formation of Candida albicans biofilm induced by glucose, lactose, soy protein, and iron with similarity in the percentage of the most constituent chemical elements, namely, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and the least were sulfur. The thickest biofilm was found in the induction of iron, glucose, and lactose, and the thinnest was soy protein.

Conclusion

The chemical elements of Candida albicans biofilm induced by four different inducers has the same percentage of the composition of elements, namely, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and the least were sulfur and the thickest biofilm was by the induction of iron, glucose, and lactose, and the thinnest was by soy protein.

Keywords

health - biofilm thickness - Candida albicans - chemical elements - CLSM

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
20. Mai 2025

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