Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Opsono-Adherence Assay to Evaluate Functional Antibodies in Vaccine Development Against Bacillus anthracis and Other Encapsulated Pathogens
Published on: May 19, 2020
ON THE MECHANISM OF OPSONIN AND BACTERIOTROPIN ACTION : I. CORRELATION BETWEEN CHANGES IN BACTERIAL SURFACE
S Mudd1, B Lucké, M McCutcheon
1Henry Phipps Institute and the Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Abstract:
Methods are described for investigating the relation between phagocytosis of bacteria by polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and certain physical-chemical properties of the bacterial surface. Serum sensitization causes the following changes in the properties of acid-fast bacteria: (a) increased cohesiveness, (b) decrease in surface electric potential difference, (c) decrease in wettability of the bacteria by oil, and (d) increased phagocytosis. Tests have been conducted periodically with the sera of 4 rabbits under active immunization with as many strains of acid-fast bacteria; the parallelism between the alteration in bacterial surface properties and the promotion of phagocytosis by these sera has been, within the experimental error, complete. The percentage of phagocytosis of a given bacterial suspension has been found to depend both upon the sensitizing serum component or components deposited upon the bacterium and upon the intrinsic properties of the unsensitized bacterial surface.
Related Concept Videos
Antibody Actions
Neutralization
Antibodies can bind to pathogens, preventing them from infecting host cells. This process...
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Complement System
Humoral Immune Responses
Regulation of Bacterial Virulence
Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence

