Introduction to Clinical Mycology

Fungi: Morphology of Molds

January 2012

This is an example of what we call the universal fungus. It shows many of the different kinds of spores that are seen as well as some other structures. If you notice, at the bottom of this illustration is called vegetative mycelium. Mycelium is a collective term for hyphae that are grouped together to make a colony. It is an old term that is not used very often. But these are hyphae that can form a number of structures. If you look at the bottom right hand side, you will see what are called arthroconidia. On the right side you will see the term. This is a hyphal strand that has broken down into compartments by the production of septations. This is the simplest mode of reproduction of the fungi. On the very bottom right hand side, the term chlamydospore can also be called chlamydoconidium. This is what we talked about a minute ago. These are over wintering type spores formed on the inside of a hyphal strand or at the terminal end of one. If you notice on that same strand by the chlamydoconidium, you will see some small spores coming off the side. Those are called microconidia. There are two kinds there and on the far left side you will see one that has a green color and that is called macroconidium. These are 2 extreme examples. One is a large spore and one is a small spore, denoting macroconidia, microconidia, respectively. And we use all sorts of terms. We use the Zygomycetes. We use the sporangium that is the structure that produces the spores. If you notice the one that looks like the fingers on a hand that is branched, that is Penicillium. You will notice the spores are produced in chains at the tip of an elaborate structure. Spores are produced in a number of different ways. The morphology of the fungus depends upon the arrangement of the spores and how they are produced and we will look at some of that as we go along here.

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Jump to section:

• Introduction
• Introduction to Clinical Mycology
• General Terms Used in Clinical Mycology
• Fungi: Morphology of Molds
• Fungi: Morphology of Molds (Continued)
• Chlamydoconidium
• Hyphae with Arthroconidia
• Arthroconidia
• Fungi: Zygomycetes
• Nonseptate Hyphae
• Nonseptate Hyphae
• Pauciseptate Hyphae
• Sporangium of a Zygomycete
• Fungi: Ascomycetes
• Ascospores
• Molds: Asexual Stages of the Ascomycota and Deuteromycota
• Fungi: Basidiomycetes
• Basidiomycetes
• Fungi: Morphology of Yeasts
• Basic Structures of Yeasts
• Blastoconidium (bud)
• Budding Yeast Cells
• Yeast Colonies
• Blastoconidia and Pseudohyphae
• Arthroconidia and Yeast Cells
• Microscopic Examination of Clinical Specimens: Detection of Fungi
• Calcofluor White
• Septate Hyphae in Specimen
• Microscopic Examination of Clinical Specimens: Detection of Fungi (Continued)
• Media for Recovery of Fungi from Clinical Specimens
• Culture Variation of Cryptococcus neoformans—Medium Dependent
• Introduction to Clinical Mycology
• Questions