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Application of Membrane and Cell Wall Selective Fluorescent Dyes for Live-Cell Imaging of Filamentous Fungi
07:44

Application of Membrane and Cell Wall Selective Fluorescent Dyes for Live-Cell Imaging of Filamentous Fungi

Published on: November 28, 2019

Fungal cell wall dynamics and infection site microenvironments: signal integration and infection outcome

Kelly M Shepardson1, Robert A Cramer

  • 1Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.

Current Opinion in Microbiology
|April 20, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Fungi adapt to host environments by altering their cell walls, impacting immune responses. Understanding these dynamic fungal adaptations is key for developing new antifungal therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Fungi face diverse host environments and effectors upon infection.
  • Fungal cell wall adaptation is crucial for survival and evasion.
  • Host-microenvironmental factors significantly influence fungal survival.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on host-microenvironmental induced fungal cell wall changes.
  • To explore the impact of these changes on host immune responses.
  • To highlight the integration of signals in determining infection outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature.
  • Analysis of studies on fungal cell wall structure, composition, and protein content.
  • Examination of host-pathogen interactions and immune system modulation.

Main Results:

  • Fungal cell walls dynamically change structure, composition, and protein content in response to host environments.
  • These alterations modulate host immune cell recognition and activation.
  • Integrated signals from fungi and host responses dictate infection progression.

Conclusions:

  • Fungal cell wall plasticity is a critical adaptation mechanism.
  • Understanding signal integration in dynamic microenvironments is essential for infection control.
  • Further research into these mechanisms could lead to novel therapeutic strategies against fungal infections.

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