Fungal Morphology and Classification Quiz

Fungal Morphology and Classification

• Septate hyaline hyphae and dark pigmented hyphae are observed in infected nails under a microscope
• Mold reproductive spores, such as conidia and sporangiospores, are resistant to unfavorable conditions and easily disseminated in nature and laboratory settings
• Asexual spores divide into four major groups: chlamydospores, arthroconidia, microconidia, and macroconidia, and are useful in identifying the mold genus and species
• Mold spores, such as conidia and sporangiospores, are important for human health and can lead to rare fungal infections
• Yeasts, also known as blastospores or blastoconidia, are large, unicellular cells that reproduce by budding and may form pseudohyphae
• Some yeasts produce additional specific structures, such as germ tube formation, which is an initial step for true hyphae production
• Yeasts grow best at 30-37°C and produce colonies on solid media, and their asexual forms are known as blastosores or buds
• Yeasts can also produce sexual spores, such as basidiospores and ascospores, which are important for their reproduction
• Fungi can grow in mold or yeast form according to environmental conditions, a phenomenon known as dimorphism
• Fungi have subcellular structures including a cell wall, cell membrane, and cytoplasmic content, and produce slime/biofilm and capsules
• The fungal cell membrane contains phospholipids, proteins, and sterols, mainly in the form of ergosterol, which is a target for antifungal drugs
• Fungi are classified into groups based on sexual spore types and morphology of hyphae, such as Oomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota, each with distinct characteristics and associations