Bacterial Adhesion and Entry into Host Cells

Successful establishment of infection by bacterial pathogens requires adhesion to host cells, colonization of tissues, and in certain cases, cellular invasion—followed by intracellular multiplication, dissemination to other tissues, or persistence. Bacteria use monomeric adhesins/invasins or highly sophisticated macromolecular machines such as type III secretion systems and retractile type IV pili to establish a complex host/pathogen molecular crosstalk that leads to subversion of cellular functions and establishment of disease.