Highlights d Btd/Eve-dependent lateral MyoII shortens cells to initiate CF d Single-cell row Btd/Eve positional code accounts for only 80% of CF-initiating cells d Mis-specification arises due to MyoII noise, and yet the cells align among themselves d Mechanical coupling via planar polarized MyoII aligns cells to ensure CF linearity
In recent years, the advances in microbiology show that biofilms are structurally complex, dynamic and adaptable systems including attributes of multicellular organisms and miscellaneous ecosystems. One may distinguish between beneficial and harmful biofilms appearing in daily life as well as various industrial processes. In order to advance the growth of the former or prevent the latter type of biofilm, a detailed understanding of its properties is indispensable. Besides microbiological aspects, this concerns the determination of mechanical characteristics, which provides the basis for material modelling. In the present paper the existing experimental methods that have been proposed since the 1980s are reviewed and critically discussed with respect to their usefulness and applicability to develop numerical modelling approaches.
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