Ink-jet printing: Perfect tool for cantilever array sensor preparation for microbial growth detection

The use of microcantilever arrays for microbial growth detection provides a rapid and reliable technique for monitoring growth in industrial and clinical applications. improving the reproducibility and sensitivity of this technique is of great importance. ink-jet printing has been successfully used in microfabrication and biofabrication due to its high precision; however,only a few microbe-based applications have been reported. here we demonstrate the advantages of its use for microcantilever based-growth sensing. four microbial strains escherichia coli,staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus,pseudomonas aeruginosa,and candida albicans were deposited and successfully grown on agarose-coated cantilevers by ink-jet printing. when compared to the capillary-coating method,ink-jet printing demonstrated more controlled cell deposition on cantilevers. the effect of various conditions on cell morphology was also investigated. copyright © 2012 g. lukacs et al.