FIGURE 1.

Role of EPS in promoting recalcitrance to host immunity. The biofilm architecture, as well as products released by biofilms, can help mediate resistance to immune clearance. Categories of factors to which biofilms provide recalcitrance include, in addition to traditional antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, engulfment/killing by professional phagocytes, and opsonization (antibodies/serum complement). Additionally, in some instances, host inflammation can signal biofilm EPS production (arrow). Horizontal line termini denote biofilm-mediated resistance to the immune effector.