Antimicrobial agents (antibiotics in particular) have helped countless numbers of people worldwide owing to their invaluable role in fighting microbial related infections/diseases; but the effectiveness of these agents and their usefulness for therapy is gradually being tested and deteriorated by the emergence and spread of drug-resistant forms of pathogenic microorganisms that has extended across the […]
Antibiotic resistance is a global health problem that bedevils our health sector and threatens our ability to effectively treat some infectious diseases. Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of microbes to grow in the presence of a chemical agent or drug that would normally kill it or limit its growth. Antibiotic resistance can spread to humans from
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ANTIBIOTIC (ANTIMICROBIAL) RESISTANCE Read More »
Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pharmaceutical Microbiology
An antibiotic has to go through a number of steps in order to exert its antibacterial action in vivo. They have to come into contact with the host taking them before ever their antibacterial and/or antimicrobial properties can be dissipated especially in the aspect of treating and abating a given disease condition or process. To
SPECIFIC MECHANISMS OF ACQUIRING RESISTANCE BY BACTERIA/MICROBIAL PATHOGENS Read More »
Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pharmaceutical Microbiology
Antibiotic resistant bacteria owe their drug insensitivity and ingenuity in developing resistance against our therapeutic regimens to resistance genes which they harbor or possess. These resistance genes can either be inherently (naturally) part of the organism’s physiology or it can as well be acquired from other resistant organisms in their environment. It is these resistance
MODE (MECHANISMS) OF TRANSFER OF RESISTANCE GENES Read More »
Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pharmaceutical Microbiology
Antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a phenomenon that occurs when bacteria are not killed or inhibited by usually achievable systemic concentration of an antibiotic (drug) with normal dosage schedule and/or fall in the minimum inhibitory concentration ranges of the drug in question. It is the ability of bacteria to resist the killing or inhibitory
The resistance of a microbial cell to the potent action of antimicrobial agents or antibiotics can either be innate or acquired. In innate (natural) resistance for example, the microorganisms are naturally resistant to a particular antibiotic. This usually occurs in microbes that lack target sites for the binding of the antibiotic. But in acquired resistance,
TYPES OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE Read More »
Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pharmaceutical Microbiology
Contamination is a great enemy in the cell culture laboratory. Thus all aseptic techniques must be dutifully followed in order to knock out all sources of contamination in the cell culture. Since contamination by microbes is a major factor in most cell culture techniques it is critical to ensure sterility and/or aseptic techniques at every
PRECAUTIONS TAKEN TO AVOID CONTAMINATION IN CELL CULTURE Read More »
Cell Culture Notes
OVERVIEW OF CELL LINES A cell line is a cell that has undergone mutation and series of genetic manipulations, and will not undergo apoptosis after a limited number of passages (sub-culturing). Apoptosis is defined as programmed cell death. It is a cell death that occurs by a biologically-controlled intracellular process that involves the fragmentation and
Having a cell culture without any form of contamination is paramount in the cell culture laboratory. Such success is usually achieved when the laid down principles and aseptic techniques for undertaking a cell culture procedure are conscientiously followed. A successful cell culture technique depends on a number of factors. These factors are: When these factors
BASIS FOR A SUCCESSFUL CELL CULTURE & AREAS THAT ENCOURAGED CELL CULTURE DEVELOPMENT Read More »
Cell Culture Notes
In the cell culture laboratory, there are many cell culture techniques that are routinely engaged or carried out. These various types of cell culture techniques are shown below: Their only advantage is that they may exhibit some physiological behaviour similar to that obtainable in vivo because they are freshly isolated cells. Primary cell cultures are
CLASSIFICATION/TYPES OF CELL CULTURE Read More »
Cell Culture Notes