Rheologica Acta, Vol.48, No.1, 109-115, 2009
Holographic microrheology of polysaccharides from Streptococcus mutans biofilms
We use three-dimensional holographic particle tracking to perform microrheological measurements of model gelled media, including the polysaccharide pellicle of dental biofilms created by the common cariogenic oral pathogen Streptococcus mutans. Nanometer-resolution video-rate holographic tracking of embedded colloidal spheres provides accurate measurements of the gels' complex viscoelastic moduli, including insights into these properties' heterogeneity. When applied to polysaccharides of S. mutans biofilms, these techniques promise quantitative microscopic assays for candidate therapeutic agents against cariogenic dental biofilms.
Keywords:Video holographic microscopy;Microrheology;Biofilms;Polysaccharide gel;Streptococcus mutans