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Association of bacteria with human phagocytes
Book chapter   Peer reviewed

Association of bacteria with human phagocytes

Richard F Rest
Methods in Enzymology, v 253, pp 12-26
1995
PMID: 7476381

Abstract

This chapter presents methods and approaches to study and quantify the adhesion of bacteria to human phagocytic cells, specifically polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), monocytes, and macrophages. Adherent bacteria are often, but not always, internalized by the phagocytes to which they adhere. The assays presented in the chapter consist of incubating bacteria and phagocytes, sometimes with serum or other body fluids, and then quantifying adhesion. Bacteria attach to phagocytes by two broad mechanisms: (1) directly, by using specific molecules expressed on outer cell surfaces such as fimbriae (pili) and nonfimbrial ligands, often called “adhesins,” such as the Opa proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and (2) indirectly, by binding host components, most often immunoglobulins and complement components, which subsequently bind to phagocyte receptors. Regardless of the mechanism, the methods used to quantify adhesion are similar. The ability of bacteria to bind to phagocytes can vary tremendously depending on the bacterial strain or variant—and growth conditions and growth phase—among other variables. Many bacterial surface ligands vary independently of growth conditions or phase; such variations are not rare events.

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Web of Science research areas
Biochemical Research Methods
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cell Biology
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