Adaptive Mutation - A mechanism through which certain cells can increase the rate in which genetic mutations occur, often in response to stress. This mechanism may help explain how bacteria develop resistance to certain antibiotics.⏎
Bronchial Tubes - Large tubes that carry air into smaller branches of the lungs after the air has passed through the mouth, nasal passages, and windpipe.⏎
Antibiotics - A class of drugs used to kill or inhibit the growth of disease-causing microorganisms. Typically antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria, but in some cases they are also used against other microorganisms, such as fungi and protozoa.⏎
Cell Membrane - A semipermeable barrier that separates the interior of a cell from the external environment.⏎
Autoimmune Disease - An umbrella term for a range of conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in the body.⏎