00:01
Okay, so the question is, why do diagnostic labs test for capsules? so capsule, and this is, we're talking about bacterial capsules here.
00:11
So this is essentially the function, or rather this is in regards to the functions of a capsule, right? so what is really the function of a capsule? okay, so if the bacteria is inside in black, so this is the bacteria, and there's a capsule on it, what is the, what is a capsule doing? capsules in and of themselves are virulence factors.
00:42
And they're variance factors because one thing that they will allow the bacteria to do is to survive phagocytosis.
00:51
So if you have a white blood cell, because of this capsule, the white blood cell may have trouble identifying the bacteria.
01:10
Right? so if there is a particular, if the blood cell recognizes a particular, say, surface protein here in red, right? it may have difficulty recognizing that surface protein if the bacteria is covered in capsule.
01:24
There's no way, rather there's no access to that surface protein because of the capsule that is physically impeding that recognition.
01:41
In order to digest this, uh, capsulated bacteria, the white blood cell would have to actually not recognize the bacterial surface protein, but may need to actually recognize the capsule itself.
02:07
So if there's antibodies that specifically recognize capsule fragments, so specifically recognizes the capsule, then the white blood cell can then come in and recognize that particular antibody, then that way the white blood cell can recognize this capsule the bacteria but that's very specific in general if the bacteria has to recognize or if the white blood cells to recognize the surface protein it can't have it doesn't have access and that is one way uh diagnose that's the one reason diagnosticians or diagnostic labs stain for and detect capsules because capsulated bacteria provide a layer of difficulty in terms of, let's say, treatment.
02:56
So specific bacteria can be capsulated.
02:59
If they know it's capsulated, then perhaps the prognosis of that patient may be worse because the national immune system is having a difficult time fighting that capsulated bacteria because of this capsule.
03:12
It cannot clear the bacteria.
03:13
Another reason why is for the use of antibiotics.
03:24
So certain antibiotics will target bacteria's surface cell wall, so for example, penicillin will target the peptideglycan layer, right? so penicillin specifically inhibits and kills bacteria via the inhibition of peptideglycan synthesis...