gammahemolízis

Gammahemolysis refers to a type of hemolysis that does not cause visible changes to the red blood cell's hemoglobin on an agar plate. This is in contrast to alphahemolysis, which results in a greenish discoloration around the bacterial colonies, and betahemolysis, which produces a clear zone. Gammahemolysis is often observed with certain bacteria, indicating that they do not produce hemolysins, which are substances that lyse red blood cells. The term "gamma" is used because it represents the absence of a visible hemolytic effect. While not a direct indicator of pathogenicity on its own, the presence or absence of gammahemolysis can be a characteristic used in the laboratory for the identification and differentiation of bacterial species, particularly in microbiology and clinical diagnostics. It signifies a lack of lytic activity against red blood cells by the bacteria cultured on a blood agar medium.