teichoic acid
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Introduction
A polymer of ribitol phosphate or glycerol phosphate containing:
- D-alanine esterified to hydroxyl groups of hydroxyl
- glycosidically-linked sugars
It is one of two classes of polymers constituting the cell walls of gram positive bacteria. (The other is peptidoglycan)
Teichoic acid interacts with components of the alternate pathway of complement, resulting in:
- activation of coagulation
- activation of kinin system
- facilitation of bacterial adherence at sits of colonization