Page 83 - MNU microbiology theoritical 2025
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General Microbiology & Immunology (PM 401) Second level Semester 4 2024/2025
• Dimorphic fungi are organisms that have the ability to switch between two
morphologies during their lifecycle: yeast and hyphae
. Eg. Histoplasma capsulatum.
- a yeast form which is the pathogenic phase
- as a mold with hyphae outside the host
Hyphae
• Digestive enzymes are secreted from the hyphal tip and break down the organic
matter found in the soil into smaller molecules which are used by the fungus as
food
Types of hyphae
A- Septate hyphae
- Hyphae that have walls between the cells
B- Coenocytic hyphae
- Hyphae that lack walls and cell membranes between
the cells are also called non-septate (aseptate)
C- Pseudohypha
The budding yeasts reproduce asexually by budding off a smaller daughter cell; the
resulting cells may sometimes stick together as a short chain.
Candida albicans is a common yeast that forms pseudohyphae
General Microbiology & Immunology (PM 401) theoretical handbook Page 72
