Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Spore Adsorption as a Nonrecombinant Display System for Enzymes and Antigens
07:42

Spore Adsorption as a Nonrecombinant Display System for Enzymes and Antigens

Published on: March 19, 2019

Medium components adsorbed to mycoplasmal cells

T Sugiyama

    The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine
    |September 1, 1983
    PubMed

    Insights

    Mycoplasma pneumoniae can cause lethal anaphylactic shock in mice when combined with adjuvant. The shock is linked to horse or rabbit serum in the culture medium, not the bacteria itself.

    Area of Science:

    • Immunology
    • Microbiology

    Background:

    • Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a bacterium known to cause respiratory infections.
    • The potential for Mycoplasma pneumoniae to induce anaphylactic reactions is not well understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the ability of Mycoplasma pneumoniae to induce lethal anaphylactic shock in a murine model.
    • To identify the component responsible for the anaphylactic reaction.

    Main Methods:

    • Washed Mycoplasma pneumoniae cells were mixed with complete Freund's adjuvant.
    • Injections were administered repeatedly into the foot pad of mice.
    • Mycoplasmas were cultured in media containing either horse serum or rabbit serum.

    Main Results:

    • Repeated injection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae with adjuvant induced lethal anaphylactic shock in mice.
    • The causative agent was traced to horse serum in the culture medium, and could not be removed by washing.
    • Mycoplasmas grown in rabbit serum also induced a similar effect.
    • No lethal anaphylaxis was observed when Mycoplasma pneumoniae was injected without adjuvant.

    Conclusions:

    • The lethal anaphylactic shock induced by Mycoplasma pneumoniae in mice is mediated by serum components (horse or rabbit) present in the culture medium, not by the Mycoplasma pneumoniae cells themselves.
    • Complete Freund's adjuvant is essential for eliciting the lethal anaphylactic response.

    More Related Videos

    Analysis of the Lipid Composition of Mycobacteria by Thin Layer Chromatography07:42

    Analysis of the Lipid Composition of Mycobacteria by Thin Layer Chromatography

    Published on: April 16, 2021

    Antigen-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Specific Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae06:04

    Antigen-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Specific Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

    Published on: February 24, 2023

    Related Concept Videos

    Fluid Mosaic Model01:34

    Fluid Mosaic Model

    The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.LipidsThe most...
    Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions01:20

    Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions

    Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are pivotal to multicellularity and the coordinated functioning of tissues and organ systems. They enable physical interactions between cells and provide mechanical strength to tissues. They also function as receptors for signal transmission across the plasma membrane. The CAMs are broadly classified into four families - integrins, cadherins, selectins, and immunoglobulin-like CAMs (IgCAMs).
    CAM Families
    The Integrin family of proteins is primarily  involved in a...
    Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules01:31

    Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules

    Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
    Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
    Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

    Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

    The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
    Tuberculosis01:23

    Tuberculosis

    Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, primarily targeting the lungs and spreading through airborne transmission. Infection begins when aerosolized droplet nuclei, expelled by an individual with active TB, are inhaled by another person. These microscopic particles carry Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB. Upon reaching the alveoli, the bacilli are engulfed by alveolar macrophages. However, due to their specialized lipid-rich cell wall, these pathogens...
    Antifungal Agents01:15

    Antifungal Agents

    Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...