Mycoplasma pneumoniae in hamster tracheal organ culture studied by scanning electron microscopy.

Hamster tracheal rings in organ culture were inoculated with a virulent strain of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and examined by scanning electron microscopy. A progressive increase in epithelial cell injury was detected from 48 to 96 h post-inoculation and was characterized by apparent loss of the apical portion of ciliated cells. M. pneumoniae attaching to the epithelial cell surfaces could be identified by comparison with the surface morphology of mycoplasmas grown on glass cover slips.