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How can bacterial hyaluronidase help bacteria spread through tissues?
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connective tissue
Randomly oriented collagenous fibers of varying size in a thin spread of loose areolar connective tissue (magnified about 370 Γ).
Bacterial hyaluronidase facilitates the spread of bacteria through tissues by catalyzing the hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid.1
Hyaluronic acid is a polysaccharide naturally present in the extracellular matrix of vertebrate connective tissues, where it acts as a structural component. By breaking down this substance, the enzyme hyaluronidase effectively increases the permeability of tissue spaces. This degradation reduces the physical barriers within the connective tissue, allowing bacterial cells to move more easily and spread throughout the host's body.23