Explain how antibiotics are able to target the bacteria cells, but not the healthy cells within your body.

Question

thomaster · Answer

give me a second i have very nice powerpoint presentation about this subject searching for it now

anonymous · Answer

Okay. Thanks ^~^

thomaster · Answer

All right take a look at this.
There are different ways antibiotics can target bacterial cells.

This is an explanation of the $\beta$-lactam antibiotics (aka penicillins)
These bacteria have a $\beta$-lactam ring. It prevents the cross linking of NAM and NAG in peptidoglycan. Peptidoglycan is a major part of the cell wall of gram-positive bacteria. So when NAM (N-acetylglucosamine) and NAG (N-acetylmuramic acid) cannot be cross-linked, the cell wall cannot be completed.

The reason it does not affect human cells is because animal cells do not have a peptidoglycan layer.

I hope this is not too difficult :P

anonymous · Answer

No, Its perfect. Thank you so much! I totally get it now. A MEDAL FOR YOU SIR!

thomaster · Answer

Well this is only one out of many methods you know :D

thomaster · Answer

As you see in the image, antibiotics also have ways to inhibit DNA replication, protein synthesis and the synthesis of essential metabolites.