Abstract
Cell adhesion is a critical factor in microbial life. For commensal or saprophytic bacteria, attachment is a question of survival, while in pathogenic bacteria adherence to a particular site may initiate an infection. In addition to nonspecific forces, which seem to play some role, adhesion of bacteria is predominantly dependent upon specific interactions between bacterial cell surface receptors (adhesins) and ligands of the host tissue. The relative importance of particular adhesin-ligand interactions varies depending on factors such as the site of infection or the stage of the disease. For example, different sets of adhesins will determine the ability of strains of Staphylococcus aureus to colonize normal skin compared to the adhesins which enable these bacteria to initiate an infection within a wound or bone tissue. Even at later stages, the role of various adhesins may vary de-
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