Abstract
The uptake of purified diphtheria toxin by two different kinds of human cells culturedin vitro (human adult hepatocytes and HEp-2 cell cultures) was studied by observations in fluorescence microscopy.
Both these cell cultures rapidly take up diphtheria toxin by pinocytosis, a process fully similar to that involved in the uptake of this same toxin by leukocytes or other cells destined to organism defense.
Pinocytosis of diphtheria toxin is not inhibited by specific antiserum and, moreover, anatoxin is accepted by these cells in the same way as diphtheria toxin. Diphtheria toxin is, then, accepted by cells as a foreign protein and not for its toxic properties.
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Paradisi, F. Pinocytosis of diphtheria toxin by different types of human cells culturedin vitro . Med Microbiol Immunol 160, 257–263 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02121440
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02121440