Visualization and Characterization of Tubercle Bacilli through Electron Microscopy
Abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, causative agent of tuberculosis, has specific morphological characteristics such as acid-fastness, cord-formation of the colonies and the inhibition of phagosome-lysosome fusion in the infected host phagocytes. Although many of these findings have been obtained by light microscopic observation, the mechanisms underlying these characteristics remain unclear. In this lecture, TEM and SEM observation data of these specific characteristics in mycobacterial cells and colonies are shown, which may initiate the interest of mycobacteriology and general microbiology.
Key words: pathogenic bacteria, tubercle bacilli, acid-fastness, cord formation, phagosome-lysosome fusion