Basic Biology of Oral Microbes

The cell is the fundamental unit of all living organisms. Various subunit structures and chemical substances found on and inside the cell make complex cellular functions possible. Understanding the morphology and structures of microorganisms is of great significance to study their physiological activities and pathogenicity, to identify different microorganisms, and to diagnose and prevent diseases. The morphological structure, physiological metabolism, pathogenicity, and drug resistance of microorganisms are determined by genes. The heredity of microorganism guarantees the stability of species, while the variation produces the variety or new species, which is beneficial to the evolution of species. The main contents of this chapter include cytological basis of microorganisms, microbial morphology, microbial cell structure, microbial physiology, and microbial genetics.