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Phases of biofilm formation. The formation starts with the attachment of planktonic cells (purple), followed by binding to the surface (grey). The bacteria then form a microcolony and begin to produce an extracellular matrix (pink). In the maturation phase, the biofilm grows into a tower or mushroom-shaped structure due to the polysaccharides. Finally, some bacteria start to disperse to another site and form a new biofilm.
