Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the Host
Morphological changes are a very common and effective strategy for pathogens to survive in the mammalian host. During interactions with their host, human pathogenic fungi undergo an array of morphological changes that are tightly associated with virulence. Candida albicans switches between yeast cel...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/3/4/66 |
| _version_ | 1818133256635154432 |
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| author | Zhongming Li Kirsten Nielsen |
| author_facet | Zhongming Li Kirsten Nielsen |
| author_sort | Zhongming Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Morphological changes are a very common and effective strategy for pathogens to survive in the mammalian host. During interactions with their host, human pathogenic fungi undergo an array of morphological changes that are tightly associated with virulence. Candida albicans switches between yeast cells and hyphae during infection. Thermally dimorphic pathogens, such as Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces species transform from hyphal growth to yeast cells in response to host stimuli. Coccidioides and Pneumocystis species produce spherules and cysts, respectively, which allow for the production of offspring in a protected environment. Finally, Cryptococcus species suppress hyphal growth and instead produce an array of yeast cells—from large polyploid titan cells to micro cells. While the morphology changes produced by human fungal pathogens are diverse, they all allow for the pathogens to evade, manipulate, and overcome host immune defenses to cause disease. In this review, we summarize the morphology changes in human fungal pathogens—focusing on morphological features, stimuli, and mechanisms of formation in the host. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:49:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de83a480e8204f0981936b5b227705ac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:49:50Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-de83a480e8204f0981936b5b227705ac2022-12-22T01:14:03ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2017-12-01346610.3390/jof3040066jof3040066Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the HostZhongming Li0Kirsten Nielsen1Department of Microbiology and Immunity, Medical School, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunity, Medical School, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USAMorphological changes are a very common and effective strategy for pathogens to survive in the mammalian host. During interactions with their host, human pathogenic fungi undergo an array of morphological changes that are tightly associated with virulence. Candida albicans switches between yeast cells and hyphae during infection. Thermally dimorphic pathogens, such as Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces species transform from hyphal growth to yeast cells in response to host stimuli. Coccidioides and Pneumocystis species produce spherules and cysts, respectively, which allow for the production of offspring in a protected environment. Finally, Cryptococcus species suppress hyphal growth and instead produce an array of yeast cells—from large polyploid titan cells to micro cells. While the morphology changes produced by human fungal pathogens are diverse, they all allow for the pathogens to evade, manipulate, and overcome host immune defenses to cause disease. In this review, we summarize the morphology changes in human fungal pathogens—focusing on morphological features, stimuli, and mechanisms of formation in the host.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/3/4/66human fungal pathogenmorphology changehost-pathogen interactiontitan cellspheruleshyphae |
| spellingShingle | Zhongming Li Kirsten Nielsen Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the Host Journal of Fungi human fungal pathogen morphology change host-pathogen interaction titan cell spherules hyphae |
| title | Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the Host |
| title_full | Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the Host |
| title_fullStr | Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the Host |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the Host |
| title_short | Morphology Changes in Human Fungal Pathogens upon Interaction with the Host |
| title_sort | morphology changes in human fungal pathogens upon interaction with the host |
| topic | human fungal pathogen morphology change host-pathogen interaction titan cell spherules hyphae |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/3/4/66 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhongmingli morphologychangesinhumanfungalpathogensuponinteractionwiththehost AT kirstennielsen morphologychangesinhumanfungalpathogensuponinteractionwiththehost |