UC mycology

• Study of fungi is more simple than bacteria
• – Colony morphology
• – Microscopic structures
• – Smaller field
• • Only about 60 consistent species
• – Biochemical tests seldom used
• • Person to person transmission very rare
• – Outbreaks can usually be traced to common source

Def: “a group of non-motile eukaryotic organisms that have definite cell walls, are devoid of chlorophyll, and reproduce by means of spores (and conidia)”

- Heterotrophic, Eukaryotic Vs. prokaryotic

• • Cell wall
• • Cell membrane
• • Cytoplasm
• – Nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear membrane, ER, mitochondria, vacuoles

• – Much larger than bacterial capsule
• • Antiphagocytic, virulence
• -Prevents the organism from being targeted during phagocytosis.
• - allows the organism to control its local environment
• • Mostly in yeast
• – Cryptococcus neoformans – encapsulated yeast

• • Multilayered
• – Polysaccharides (90%)
• – Chitin
• – Proteins and glycoproteins (10%)
• • Provides shape and rigidity to cell
• – Osmotic protection
• -offers the best unique structures compares to mammalian cells as a target for antifungal agents

• • Sterols (ergosterol- fungal vs. cholesterol- mammalian)
• - Ergosterol provides a target for antifungal agents
• • Functions:
• – Protects cytoplasm
• – Regulates intake of nutrients
• – Facilitates capsule and cell wall synthesis

filamentous, tubular growth

tubular structure where cross was or symplate will form as a structure

without hyphae

– Vegetative- point downward into the gound– Aerial- reaises up in to the air

obligate hyphae

unicellular, budding

• two bodies or forms where they will have both a mold and yeast form.
• Most important are those that are thermally dimorphic

sexual stage is known and is well described

Reproductive structures produced by an asexual mode

Conidiophore & Sporangium

• – Anelloconidia – produced by anellides
• – Phialoconidia – produced by phialide
• – Poroconidia – produced from pores

saclike structure where sporangiospores are formed (Zygomycetes)