Effect of tissue culture cells in promoting prolonged survival of N. Gonorrhoeae in artificial subcutaneous cavities of mice.

Both tissue culture cells and human epithelial cells ingest gonococci, and subsequently protect them from the lethal action of various bactericidal agents. Using the convenient chamber produced by the subcutaneous insertion of a polyvinyl ring, the fate of the gonococci in mice was studied in vivo. Both humoral and cellular factors have free access to the organisms, and under normal circumstances these do not survive longer than 3 days. However, when gonococci were protected within tissue culture cells, their survival was prolonged. Only eventual graft rejection caused the death of the tissue culture cells and gonococci contained within them.