Editing Slime layer (section)

== Cellular function ==
The function of the slime layer is to protect the bacteria cells from environmental dangers such as [[antibiotic]]s and [[desiccation]].<ref name=":0" /> The slime layer allows bacteria to adhere to smooth surfaces such as [[prosthesis|prosthetic]] [[implant (medicine)|implants]] and [[catheter]]s, as well as other smooth surfaces like petri-dishes.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title = The Microbial World :: A look at all things small |url = http://www.microbiologytext.com/index.php?module=Book&func=toc&book_id=5 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160309153604/http://www.microbiologytext.com/index.php?module=Book&func=toc&book_id=5 | archive-date = 9 March 2016 |website = www.microbiologytext.com|access-date = 2016-02-04}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Researchers found that the cells adhered themselves to the culture vessel without additional appendages, relying on the extracellular material alone.

While consisting mostly of polysaccharides, a slime layer may be over produced such that in a time of famine the cell can rely on the slime layer as extra food storage to survive.<ref name=":3" /> In addition, a slime layer may be produced in ground dwelling prokaryotes to prevent unnecessary drying due to annual temperature and humidity shifts.<ref name=":3" />

It may permit bacterial colonies to survive chemical [[sterilization (microbiology)|sterilization]] with [[chlorine]], [[iodine]], and other chemicals, leaving [[autoclaving]] or flushing with boiling water as the only certain methods of [[decontamination|decontaminating]].

Some bacteria have shown a protective response to attacks from the immune system by using their slime layers to absorb antibodies.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Mates|first1=A.|last2=Zand|first2=P.|date=August 1974|title=Specificity of the protective response induced by the slime layer of Pseudomonas aeruginosa|journal=Journal of Hygiene|language=en|volume=73|issue=1|pages=75–84|doi=10.1017/S002217240002386X|issn=0022-1724|pmc=2130552|pmid=4213979}}</ref> Additionally, some bacteria like ''[[Pseudomonas aeruginosa]]'' and ''[[Bacillus anthracis]]'' can produce biofilm structures that are effective against phagocyte attacks from the host immune system.<ref name=":3" /> This type of biofilm formation increases their virulence factor as they are more likely to survive within a host's body, although this type of biofilm is typically associated with capsules.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Moon|first=Myung-Sang|date=April 2019|title=Essential Basic Bacteriology in Managing Musculoarticuloskeletal Infection: Bacterial Anatomy, Their Behavior, Host Phagocytic Activity, Immune System, Nutrition, And Antibiotics|journal=Asian Spine Journal|volume=13|issue=2|pages=343–356|doi=10.31616/asj.2017.0239|issn=1976-1902|pmc=6454276|pmid=30669823}}</ref>