The evolution of anti-bacterial and anti-biofouling properties of sharkskin patterned surfaces

Abstract

Sharks possess numerous biological features such as highly developed senses and efficient liver that have stunned researchers over the past few decades. Including to those, sharks are well known for the ability of their skin to reduce drag force, and prevent adhesion of microorganisms like bacteria. Recently, investigating the anti-biofouling properties of sharkskin and particularly the mechanism of antibacterial activities have been trending and ongoing researches have been conducted to understand the extent of the anti-biofouling and identification of the possible underlying mechanisms. Hence, in this review, we take a look at sharkskin morphology and discoveries thus far regarding its unique attributes and their underlying mechanisms along with possible applications such as cathaters, implantable cardiovascular devices, and medical devices. The focus of this review is the anti-biofouling properties of sharkskin patterned surfaces prepared by biomimicked and bioinspired approaches in healthcare applications.