Inspissation

Inspissation is the process of thickening by dehydration.

Intentional use

Inspissation is the process used when heating high-protein containing media; for example to enable recovery of bacteria for testing. Once inspissation has occurred, any stained bacteria, such as Mycobacteria, can then be isolated.

A Serum inspissation or Fractional sterilization is a process of heating an article on 3 successive days as follows:

DayTemperatureTimePurpose
185 °C60 minutesDrying of the medium and killing the organisms in their vegetative form
Time in betweenovernight incubationGrowth of vegetative forms from spores
275 to 80 °C20 minuteskilling the organisms in their vegetative form
Time in betweenovernight incubationGrowth of vegetative forms from any spores remaining
375 to 85 °C20 minuteskilling the organisms in their vegetative form as well as the leftover spores

Pathologic inspissation

In cystic fibrosis, inspissation of secretions in the respiratory[1] and gastrointestinal tracts is a major mechanism of causing the disease.

References

  1. Perlman M, Williams J, Hirsch M, Bar-Ziv J (September 1975). "Familial non-cystic fibrosis mucus inspissation of respiratory tract". Arch. Dis. Child. 50 (9): 727–30. doi:10.1136/adc.50.9.727. PMC 1545639. PMID 1190822.

Further reading

  • Textbook of Microbiology by Prof. C P Baveja, ISBN 81-7855-266-3
  • Textbook of Microbiology by Ananthanarayan and Panikar, ISBN 81-250-2808-0
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