Question Detail
Question
A scraping of material from a person's tooth revealed many bacteria found on the tooth surface. Such bacteria remain attached to the tooth surface by structures called: a. anchoring junctions b. pili c. Flagella d. mucin
Correct Answer
Option B is the correct answer.
Detailed Explanation
Many bacteria use hair-like structures called pili (singular: pilus) or fimbriae to adhere to surfaces, including other cells and inert surfaces like teeth. This attachment is the first step in forming biofilms like dental plaque. Flagella are for movement, anchoring junctions are eukaryotic structures, and mucin is a glycoprotein in mucus.
Hint
These bacterial 'hairs' are like tiny grappling hooks for sticking to surfaces.