Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Lysozyme snips the sugar chains that hold bacterial walls together. The figure is taken from MedlinePlus, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a human body fact?

Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Tears carry an enzyme that breaks bacterial cell walls

Lysozyme snips the sugar chains that hold bacterial walls together Lysozyme is found in tears, saliva and mucus, and cuts the peptidoglycan mesh that gives bacteria their shape. Once that mesh is breached, the cell swells and bursts. The same enzyme is abundant in egg white, which is where it was first identified in 1922. It sits in Mondo's human body collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

MedlinePlus

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

Go further

Science trivia

More facts like this

Humans blink up to twenty times every minute to lubricate eyesRapid eyelid movements spread tear film across the cornea continuously Digestion of carbohydrates begins inside the mouthSalivary amylase enzymes break down complex starches during chewing Most of the immune tissue sits along the gutAn estimated seventy percent of immune cells are stationed in the digestive lining White blood cells defend the body against infectious pathogensLeukocytes circulate in blood and tissue to destroy invading bacteria and viruses Lymph nodes filter interstitial fluid to combat infectionsHundreds of bean-sized nodes trap viruses and bacteria throughout the body The spleen recycles old red blood cells and stores plateletsFist-sized abdominal organ monitors blood quality and mounts immune responses

Tags: tears, enzymes, immunity

Tears carry an enzyme that breaks bacterial cell walls: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Lysozyme snips the sugar chains that hold bacterial walls together. The figure is taken from MedlinePlus, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a human body fact?: Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.