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CHARACTERISTICS OF BACTERIA: BACTERIAL CELLS

Bacterial cells are extremely small (see arrow). Even when magnified to 400 times their normal size (as they are in this photo) they are difficult to distinguish as individual objects. Often one must stain the cells (as in this photo) to see them. In general, bacterial cells tend to be either spherical or rod-shaped (as these are). Most plant pathogenic bacteria produce rod-shaped cells.