Action of Gastric and Salivary Mucin on Phagocytosis

Gastric and salivary mucin produce a covering on bacteria which prevents their staining vitally and inhibits their phagocytosis. In vivo experiments show that mucincoated staphylococci are not taken up by leukocytes for two hours following injection, after which time they multiply enormously and kil...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 1940-03, Vol.66 (2), p.189-191
Main Author: Tunnicliff, Ruth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Blood
Capsules
Gastric mucin
Leukocytes
Mucins
Neutrophils
Phagocytosis
Saliva
Staphylococcus
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Summary:Gastric and salivary mucin produce a covering on bacteria which prevents their staining vitally and inhibits their phagocytosis. In vivo experiments show that mucincoated staphylococci are not taken up by leukocytes for two hours following injection, after which time they multiply enormously and kill mice in 24 hours. Control mice show phagocytosis of cocci at the end of one hour and recover. Vitally stained mucoid material in mice injected with mucin and staphylococci show unstained mucin-coated cocci as long as three hours after injection. Only stained cocci, uncoated with mucin, are taken up by the polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1093/infdis/66.2.189