Scanning Electron Microscopic Examination of Dermatophytes
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is important to understand the morphologic characteristics for the identification of a microorganism. Electron microscopy has contributed a great deal to the field of mycology. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) has become a useful tool to study three-dimensional images of fungi. Vacuum dessicator aqueous fixation is a useful sample preparation technique for SEM examination of fungal specimens without surface distortions.
OBJECTIVE: This study was done to observe the three-dimensional structures of dermatophytes preserving their natural growth characteristics.
METHODS: Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, and Epidermophyton floccosum were isolated and cultured on Sabourd agar, corn meal agar, or rice agar plate. Vacuum dessicator aqueous fixation was utilized as p preparation technique for SEM examinations of fungi.
RESULTS: Vacuum dessicator aqueous fixation led us to examine the aerial mycelia including conidia of the dermatophytes under SEM. The five species of dermatophytes showed their own characteristic structures especially on microconidia and macroconidia.
CONCLUSION: The use of ultrastructural research has made it possible to identify the species of fungi and can be expanded and improved along with the development of SEM and specimen preparation techniques.
Keywords
Dermatophytes Scanning electron microscopy Vacuum dessicator aqueous fkation
KJMM
1997 December;2(2):153-160(8). Epub 2016 February 25
Copyright © 1997 by Korean Journal of Medical Mycology
Language
Korean/English
Author
Kyeong Han Yoon; Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Tae Suk Chung; Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Hang Kye Shin; Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Dongsik Bang; Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Kwang Hoon Lee; Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Corresponding
Kwang Hoon Lee, Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea.
Publication history
Acknowledgements
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Kyeong Han Yoon
Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Tae Suk Chung
Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Hang Kye Shin
Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Dongsik Bang
Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
Kwang Hoon Lee
Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea
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