Specific adhesion of lactobacilli to keratinized epithelial cells of the rat stomach in vitro.

Indigenous bacteria isolated from rats and chickens demonstrated host specificity in adhering to the keratinized epithelial cells of the rat stomach and the chicken crop epithelium. Of the indigenous bacteria isolated from the rat only lactobacilli and staphylococci attached to the keratinized cells of the rat stomach, suggesting that they are dominant bacteria of the microflora of the stomachs of rats. The effect of the addition of enzymes and other compounds on the adhesion of lactobacilli were investigated. Adhesion was inhibited by treating the lactobacilli with heat, detergents, or certain lipid solvents.