Structure of Fungi

Fungi are eukaryotes that belong to

kingdom Fungi. While many fungi are
multi-cellular, some are also single-
celled, such as yeast. Fungi are divided
into many phyla, but the three most
common are zygomycota,
basidiomycota, and ascomycota. Fungi
are usually classified based on structure
and method of sexual reproduction. All
fungi, however, are heterotrophic,
deriving and absorbing their organic
compounds from the environment
around them. Fungi are key members of
any habitat.

Fungi
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Fungi cells have cell walls made out of
chitin, not cellulose.

Multicellular fungi have hyphae, which
look like little threads.

A hypha consists of one or more cells
surrounded by a tubular cell wall.

A network of hyphae called mycelium
make up the body of the fungus.

Mycelium can be very small or very
large.



Fungal diseases that affect humans
Human diseases caused by fungi are called
mycoses.
Ringworm is not
a worm, but a
common fungus
infection of the
skin. The fungus
(often one
called
Microsporum)
does not invade
living tissue but the fungus and its metabolic
products cause inflammation. This 5-week old baby
(shown above) caught the disease from contact with
the familys pet cats.

Epidermophyton floccosum causes athletes foot in
humans usually in the web area between toes
and is common
in shoe-
wearing people
because its
favoured by
warm, humid
conditions. It
can also affect
the hand and other areas of the body, and here it is
attacking toenails.
The image below shows skin ulcers of a patient
suffering from
blastomycosis
(caused by
Blastomyces
dermatidis). The
disease starts in
the lungs when
spores are
inhaled, and then spreads to other organs.

More on structure of Fungi
Except for yeasts, which grow as single cells, most fungi grow as thread-like filaments. The filaments are
called hyphae. Each hypha consists of one or more cells surrounded by a tubular cell wall. A mass of hyphae
make up the body of a fungus, which is called a mycelium. The hyphae of most fungi are divided into cells by
internal walls called septa. Septa usually have little pores that are large enough to allow ribosomes,
mitochondria and sometimes nuclei to flow among cells. Hyphae that are divided into cells are called septate
hyphae. However, the hyphae of some fungi are not separated by septa. Hyphae without septae are
called coenocytic hyphae. Coenocytic hyphae are big, multinucleated cells.