Endospore

An endospore is a tough, dormant structure formed inside certain bacteria. It can endure conditions that kill growing cells and later germinate into a vegetative cell.

Sporulation: The process by which certain bacteria form dormant spores in response to environmental conditions. Sporulation builds an endospore through coordinated changes in cell shape, gene expression, and protective layers.
Bacillus: A genus of rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacteria found in diverse environments. Species of Bacillus provide well-studied examples of bacterial endospore formation.
Autoclave: A pressure-based sterilization device that uses saturated steam to kill microorganisms and spores. Autoclaves are designed to destroy heat-resistant endospores using pressurized steam.
Bacterial cyst: A dormant, protective form made by some bacteria, generally less resistant than an endospore. Cysts can endure harsh conditions, but their structure and resistance differ from endospores.
Asymmetric cell division: A cell division that produces daughter cells with different sizes or developmental fates. It separates the developing forespore from the mother cell during endospore formation.
Clostridium: A genus of anaerobic, endospore-forming bacteria that includes several disease-causing species. Clostridium includes medically important bacteria whose persistence depends on endospores.
Sterilization: The process of eliminating or destroying all forms of microbial life, including resistant spores. Endospores set a demanding benchmark for whether a sterilization process is effective.
Exospore: A spore formed externally by some microorganisms rather than inside a bacterial cell. Its external formation contrasts with the defining intracellular development of an endospore.
Spore cortex: A specialized peptidoglycan layer between the inner and outer membranes of a bacterial endospore. Its distinctive structure helps maintain the dehydrated core that supports heat resistance.
Bacterial cell: A prokaryotic cell that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus and typically has a cell wall. An endospore forms inside a bacterial cell and retains its genetic material.

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