Figure 2.

Interactions of N. meningitidis at the nasopharyngeal surface. (A) Following acquisition, Nme must survive against host defences, interactions with other members of the microbiome, and intra-specific competition in order to inhabit the mucus of the nasopharynx. Eventual binding of the epithelial surface results in intimate association and passage into the submucosa by transcytosis. (B) Binding of epithelial cells occurs by interaction of Neisserial surface structures with their cognate receptors, resulting in inflammation, cellular restructuring, and transcytosis. This figure was created using Biorender.com.