Final answer:
Exotoxins that damage host cell membranes are called pore-forming toxins. These toxins form pores in cell membranes, causing leakage of the cytoplasmic contents and cell lysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exotoxins that damage host cell membranes are called pore-forming toxins. These toxins form pores in cell membranes, causing leakage of the cytoplasmic contents and cell lysis. Some examples of pore-forming toxins include streptolysins produced by Streptococcus pyogenes and alpha toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus.
Exotoxins that damage host cell membranes are called hemolysins, which disrupt cell function by forming pores or breaking down the phospholipid bilayer.
Exotoxins that damage host cell membranes are known as hemolysins. They are membrane-disrupting toxins which affect cell membrane function either by forming pores or by disrupting the phospholipid bilayer in host cell membranes. This action causes leakage of the cytoplasmic contents and results in cell lysis. While they were initially thought to primarily target red blood cells and white blood cells, it is now understood that hemolysins can affect other cell types as well. The gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes produces streptolysins, which are examples of these hemolysins.