Differences to the cell membrane of bacteria – Penicillin
The cell membrane of bacteria is hardly different from that of the human body. The big difference between the cells is the additional cell wall of the bacteria. The cell wall attaches itself outside the cell membrane and in this way stabilizes and protects the bacterium, which would be attackable without it.
It is made of murein, a special sugar particle, into which other proteins can be incorporated, which then serve for example for locomotion and reproduction. Penicillin can disrupt the synthesis of the cell wall and thus has a bactericidal effect, i.e. it kills the bacterium. This makes it possible to take targeted action against disease-causing bacteria without simultaneously destroying the body’s own cells.
