| adhesin | Microbial surface antigens that frequently exist in the form of filamentous projections (pili or fimbriae) and bind to specific receptors on epithelial cell membranes; usually classified according to their ability to induce agglutination of erythrocytes from various species, their differential attachment to epithelial cells of various origins, or their susceptibility to reversal of such binding activities in the presence of mannose. Origin: L. Ad-haereo, pp. Ad-haesum, to stick to, + -in (05 Mar 2000) |
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| adhesins, bacterial | Cell-surface components or appendages of bacteria that facilitate adhesion (bacterial adhesion) to other cells or to inanimate surfaces. most fimbriae (fimbriae, bacterial) of gram-negative bacteria function as adhesins, but in many cases it is a minor subunit protein at the tip of the fimbriae that is the actual adhesin. In gram-positive bacteria, a protein or polysaccharide surface layer serves as the specific adhesin. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adhesins, escherichia coli | Thin, filamentous protein structures, including proteinaceous capsular antigens (fimbrial antigens), that mediate adhesion of e. Coli to surfaces and play a role in pathogenesis. They have a high affinity for various epithelial cells. (12 Dec 1998) |