FIG. 3.

Microscopic enumeration of bacteria adhering to slides coated with BSA or laminin, showing the effects of BmpA-specific antibodies or soluble rBmpA on adherence. Error bars indicate 1 standard deviation from the mean. Neither antibodies nor recombinant protein was added to control assay mixtures. The asterisk indicates a statistically significant difference from the results of control assays. BmpA-specific antibody Fab fragments significantly inhibited borrelial adherence (P < 0.04). The reduced adherence due to the addition of rBmpA was not statistically significant (P < 0.13).