Final answer:
It is true that the mycolic acid in the cell walls of Mycobacterium tuberculosis protects the pathogen from digestion by phagocytes, enabling it to survive and multiply within these immune cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, the waxes in the cell walls of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which contain mycolic acid, do indeed protect this pathogen from digestion within phagocytes. This waxy substance provides several defensive benefits to the bacteria. It prevents desiccation, confers resistance to certain antibiotics and gram staining, and critically, it helps M. tuberculosis to evade destruction by the immune system's phagocytes.
Upon inhalation, M. tuberculosis enters the alveoli and is phagocytized by macrophages. However, due to the protective mycolic acid coat, these bacteria can resist the killing mechanisms inside the phagolysosome, enabling them to survive and multiply within the phagocytes. This resistance contributes to the pathogen's virulence and complicates the treatment of tuberculosis.
Complete question:
It is thought that the waxes in the cell walls of Mycobacterium tuberculosis protect this pathogen from digestion within phagocytes.
True
False