USE OF LYSOSTAPHIN TO REMOVE CELL-ADHERENT STAPHYLOCOCCI DURING INVITRO ASSAYS OF PHAGOCYTE FUNCTION

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (4) , 381-385
Abstract
Lysostaphin, a bacteriolytic enzyme, was used to remove cell-adherent and extracellular Staphylococcus aureus from phagocyte-bacterial mixtures in vitro. Lysostaphin kills S. aureus more rapidly than penicillin, is not toxic for phagocytic cells and, when used for short periods at low concentrations, appears to enter neither human nor mouse mononuclear phagocytes. The use of lysostaphin provides the basis of a simple reliable direct in vitro assay for measuring the attachment and ingestion of S. aureus by phagocytic cells.