What is the difference between Microconidia and Macroconidia?
Relatively large and complex conidia are termed macroconidia while the smaller and more simple conidia are termed microconidia. The presence/absence of conidia and their size, shape and location are major features used in the laboratory to identify the species of fungus in clinical specimens.
Which organism produces Macroconidia and Microconidia?
The pathogenic fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum, exists in nature as a filamentous organism that produces two asexual spores, microconidia and tuberculate macroconidia.
What is Conidiophore and Conidiospores?
Conidium is a type of spores. Conidia are asexual and exogenic spores contrary to endogenous asexual zygomycetous spores or sexual asco- and basidiospores. Spores can be produced sexually or asexually. “Conidiospore” is just a rather uncommon way to call spores produced mitotically, and so it is the same as “conidium”.
Are Arthrospores asexual?
There are two categories of thallospore: arthrospores are produced by the fragmentation of hyphae into compartments separated by septa, and thickening of the cell wall of a hyphal compartment forms a chlamydospore. Sporangiospores are asexual spores formed inside a walled sporangium.
What are the similarities and differences between conidia and Ascospores?
The main difference is that ascospores are produced by sexual reproduction (meiosis) in structures called ascii. Macro and micro conidia are asexual spores formed by mitosis in structures called conidiophores.
How are humans affected by fungal infection?
Fungi reproduce by releasing spores that can be picked up by direct contact or even inhaled. That’s why fungal infections are most likely to affect your skin, nails, or lungs. Fungi can also penetrate your skin, affect your organs, and cause a body-wide systemic infection.
Where is Sterigmata found?
In less common usage, a sterigma is a structure within the posterior end of the genitalia of female Lepidoptera. It also refers to the stem-like structure, also called a “woody peg” at the base of the leaves of some, but not all conifers, specifically Picea and Tsuga.
Which is smaller the macroconidia or the microconidia?
The microconidia are smaller than the macroconidia, and they are also asexual spores of Microsporum. Microconidia are hyaline and single-celled. Microconidia are pyriform to clavate shaped, having a smooth cell wall. The microconidia are 2.5–3.5 μm by 4–7 μm in size.
How big are the macroconidia of Microsporum spp?
The macroconidia are 7–20 μm by 30–160 μm in size, with a thin or thick echinulate to the verrucose cell wall. Because of they highly distinguished structure of the Macroconidia which is thick and rough, these fungi can be differentiated from other dermatophytes using these features,
How are microconidia different from other dermatophytes?
Because of they highly distinguished structure of the Macroconidia which is thick and rough, these fungi can be differentiated from other dermatophytes using these features, The microconidia are smaller than the macroconidia, and they are also asexual spores of Microsporum.
Can a macroconidia be grown on primary isolation media?
Macroconidia and/or microconidia are often not produced on primary isolation media and it is recommended that subcultures be made onto lactritmel agar and/or boiled polished rice grains to stimulate sporulation. Good growth of white aerial mycelium with production of yellow pigment.
