Candida albicans, the most pervasive fungal pathogen that colonizes humans, forms biofilms that are architecturally complex. They consist of a basal yeast cell polylayer and an upper region of hyphae encapsulated in extracellular matrix. However, biofilms formed in vitro vary as a result of the different conditions employed in models, the methods used to assess biofilm formation, strain differences, and, in a most dramatic fashion, the configuration of the mating type locus (MTL). Therefore, integrating data from different studies can lead to problems of interpretation if such variability is not taken into account. Here we review the conditions and factors that cause biofilm variation, with the goal of engendering awareness that more attention must be paid to the strains employed, the methods used to assess biofilm development, every aspect of the model employed, and the configuration of the MTL locus. We end by posing a set of questions that may be asked in comparing the results of different studies and developing protocols for new ones. This review should engender the notion that not all biofilms are created equal.

中文翻译：

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白色念珠菌生物膜的可塑性。

白色念珠菌是人类中最普遍的真菌病原体，可形成结构复杂的生物膜。它们由基底酵母细胞多层和包裹在细胞外基质中的菌丝的上部区域组成。但是，由于模型中使用的条件不同，用于评估生物膜形成的方法，菌株差异以及以最引人注目的方式，即交配型基因座（MTL）的构型，体外形成的生物膜也会发生变化。因此，如果不考虑这种可变性，则整合来自不同研究的数据可能会导致解释问题。在这里，我们回顾了引起生物膜变化的条件和因素，目的是引起人们的认识，即必须更加重视所用菌株，评估生物膜发育的方法，所用模型的各个方面以及MTL位点的配置。最后，我们提出了一系列问题，在比较不同研究的结果并为新研究制定方案时可能会提出这些问题。这次审查应提出并非所有生物膜均被创造的观点。