title: Ultrastructure of the adhesion of bacteria to the epithelial cell membrane of three-day postnatal rat tongue mucosa: a transmission and high-resolution scanning electron microscopic study.
abstract: Togue mucosa surface of 3-day postnatal rats was examined under transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). For HRSEM analysis, the specimens were fixed in the same solution for 24 h, postfixed in 2% osmiun tetroxide, critical-point dried and coated with platinum-palladium. For TEM analysis, the specimens were fixed using modified Karnovsky solution and embedded in Spurr resin. The results revealed the presence of numerous microplicae in the membrane surface of keratinized epithelial cells to which groups of bacteria were attached. These bacteria were staphylococcus and coccus organized either in rows or at random, which were visualized in three-dimensional HRSEM images. At high magnification, the TEM images revealed the adhesion of bacteria to the cell membrane through numerous filamentous structures comprising the glycocalyx. The fine fibrillar structures rising from each bacterium and from cell membrane were clearly seen. These characteristics on bacteria structure may be used for future control or prevention of bacterial diseases and for installation of the oral native flora.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. watanabe@icb.usp.br
authors.forename: Ii-sei
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Marcelo Cavenaghi Pereira
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Aracy Akiko
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Motoyama
authors.forename: Eduardo Shigueaki
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kado
authors.forename: Ruberval Armando
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001419:Bacteria / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019276:Glycocalyx / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007633:Keratins / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014059:Tongue / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins