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Several mechanisms mediate the adherence of bacteria to host tissues, but the physical and chemical properties of the bacterial surface play a key role. Little is known about the surface properties of Lactobacillus that mediate attachment to human epithelial cell surfaces. In this study, we looked at the specific characteristics of the surface of Lactobacillus strains. These characteristics included the effect of Lactobacillus on the hemagglutination of rabbit, sheep, bovine, guinea pig and human erythrocytes, its surface hydrophobicity, slime production and the adherence of Lactobacillus to two different epithelial cell lines. These properties were compared by using electron microscopy on the cell surface. In a few Lactobacillus strains, surface properties such as hemagglutination of human OP 1 erythrocytes, the presence of extracellular slime material and their high degree of hydrophobicity appeared to be related to one another. The most surface-active strains of Lactobacillus adhered well to both enterocytes and to vaginal cells. These characteristics seem to be closely related; however, different adhesions and various mechanisms of attachment may play a role in the adherence of different Lactobacillus strains to epithelial surfaces. Keywords: Lactobacillus , surface properties, OP1 erythrocytes. |
