Question

what would happen if N. gonorrhoeae formed fimbriae with some epithelial cells lining the urethra? Sperm cells?

Answer 1

Ans . If the N. gonorrhoeae formed fimbriae with some epithelial cells lining the urethra , then the epithelial cell invasion occurs .

The cells are invaded while they are still attached to the epithelial lining of urethra.The ability of N. gonorrhoea to invade urethral squamous epithelial cells would also provide a protected environment.

The infection occurs in four stages :-

The first stage represents attachment and fusion of plasma membrane with the bacterial membrane .

This is followed by second stage , uptake of the organisms by the epithelial cells and incorporation into vacuoles.

In the third stage of infection , the N.gonorrhoea appears to replicate within the vacuoles .

In the fourth stage , organisms rupture from the cells into the urethral lumen , and infected epithelial cells are shed. These released organisms reinfect other epithelial cells.