Bacterial infections epithelial tissue

Most bacterial infections confine themselves to the surface of epithelial tissue (e.g. 

Most bacterial infections confine themselves to the surface of epithelial tissue (e.g. Bordetella pertussis, Gorynebacterium diphtheriae, Vibrio cholerae). This is, to a large extent, a reflection of their inabili-... 

The chloride channel is vital for proper absorption of salt (NaCl) and water across the plasma membranes of the epithelial cells that line ducts and tubes in tissues such as lungs, liver, small intestine, and sweat glands. Chloride transport occurs when signal molecules open CFTR Cl channels in the apical (top) membrane surface of epithelial cells. In CF the failure of CFTR channels results in the retention of Cl within the cells. A thick mucus or other secretion forms because osmotic pressure causes the excessive uptake of water. The most obvious features of CF are lung disease (obstructed air flow and chronic bacterial infections), and pancreatic insufficiency (impaired production of digestive enzymes that can result in severe nutritional deficits). In the majority of CF patients, CFTR is defective because of a deletion mutation at Phe508, which causes... 

In both S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis, the thickness of the capsule has been shown to vary at different points in infection. In Neisseria meninigitidis decreased capsule production enhances tissue invasion, while increased capsule production is essential for survival in systemic infections [349]. Likewise, studies in pneumococci have suggested that the capsule prevents bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells, as well as to endothelial cells [350,351,352]. Bacteria producing less capsular polysaccharide more efficiently colonize mucosal surfaces, while those producing more capsule are more virulent in systemic infections [350,353]. 

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