INTRODUCTIONThe group of bacterial protein toxins termed pore-forming toxins (PFT) belongs to the family of toxins called membrane-damaging toxins (MDT) which possess the ability to damage or disrupt the integrity of the plasma membrane of various eukaryotic cells (impairment of osmotic balance) reflected by cell swelling and subsequently cell lysis (Bhakdi and Tranum-Jensen 1988; Menestrina and..
