invasioncompetent

Invasioncompetent describes the state or capacity of an organism, cell, or molecule to invade host tissues or cells. In microbial and cellular biology, it denotes the ability to breach epithelial or endothelial barriers and enter host cells or tissues, rather than simply colonizing surfaces. The term is often used to distinguish strains or variants that can actively invade from those that are non-invasive or require other factors to cross barriers.

In bacteria, invasioncompetence is typically governed by virulence factors such as surface adhesins, invasion proteins, secretion systems, and toxins; expression is frequently regulated by environmental cues and regulatory networks. Similar concepts apply to parasitic protozoa and eukaryotic cells, where invasion mechanisms enable entry into host cells or tissues. In oncology, invasioncompetence refers to the capacity of tumor cells to degrade extracellular matrix and migrate, contributing to local invasion and metastasis.

Researchers assess invasioncompetence with laboratory assays that quantify entry into host cells (e.g., gentamicin protection assays for intracellular bacteria), or with invasion or Matrigel assays for cancer cells. In vivo models can also illustrate tissue penetration. While invasioncompetence is essential for certain pathogenic processes, it does not by itself determine virulence; other factors such as replication, immune evasion, and survival influence disease outcome.

See also invasiveness, virulence, host-pathogen interaction, metastasis.