Medical Research Council and University of Exeter

Our Research


Fungal Cell Biology

Understanding the enemy

Most fungi live as unseen microscopic spores and filaments in the environment around us, and some even live in our guts and on our skin as part of our normal flora. In most cases, fungi do us no harm and it is only when our immune system falters, for example through immunosuppressive treatments or HIV-AIDS immunodeficiency, that fungi gain the upper hand.

Unlike viruses and bacteria, fungal cells are very similar to our own, but with a few key differences. By identifying and studying these, we can find out whether they can be exploited to help combat disease. For example, fungal cells are surrounded by a stiff cell wall. Detecting this helps us to diagnose infections and it is an effective drug target because it is essential for survival of the fungus.

Most fungi live as unseen microscopic spores and filaments in the environment around us, and some even live in our guts and on our skin as part of our normal flora. In most cases, fungi do us no harm and it is only when our immune system falters, for example through immunosuppressive treatments or HIV-AIDS immunodeficiency, that fungi gain the upper hand.

Unlike viruses and bacteria, fungal cells are eukaryotes and very similar to our own, but with a few key differences. By identifying and studying these, we can find out whether they can be exploited to help combat disease. For example, fungal cells are surrounded by a stiff cell wall. Detecting this helps us to diagnose infections and it is an effective drug target because it is essential for survival of the fungus.

Click on the red circles below to learn more about the structure of the fungal yeast cell.


Vacuole Bud scar Plasma membrane Golgi apparatus Fungal cell wall Cytoplasm Storage granule Mitochondria Septum Endoplasmic reticulum Lipid granule Nucleus Growth tip + vesiclesSeptin ring

DAUGHTER CELL

MOTHER CELL

Only fungi that can adapt to living in the human body cause infections. Some do this by switching to a new growth form, such as invasive filaments or giant cells, which help fungi to colonise tissue and escape immune cell attack. Others produce toxins and other molecules that help the fungus find nutrients needed for survival inside the human body.

The recent development of lab-on-a-chip techniques offers new ways to study these changes. The chips contain tiny chambers that mimic the environment of the human host. Using them, we can investigate how fungi adapt and the effect of new antifungal drugs. We can also monitor how fungi interact with host immune cells in real time.

By increasing our understanding of the biology of fungi, we are finding better ways to diagnose and treat disease, thereby improving the outcome for patients in the battle for survival between pathogen and host.


Credits

Alexandra Brand (text and interactive cell guidance)
Jude Bain (left and background image)
Tina Bedekovic (right image)