FIG. 8.
C. albicans VPS21 and YPT72 affect in vivo morphogenesis. Mice inoculated with approximately 5 × 105 cells of each C. albicans strain were sacrificed at 48 h postinfection. (A) Kidney tissue was homogenized and treated with KOH to dissolve host cells. Fungal cell morphology was observed microscopically and scored according to the MI described by Merson-Davies and Odds (43, 47) as follows: MI of 1, spherical and nearly spherical cells; MI of 2, ovoid cells with a length of up to twice the cell width; MI of 3, pseudohyphal cells with obvious constrictions; MI of 4, parallel-sided true hyphal cells. Data are the means of three or more animals for each strain; error bars represent standard deviations. *, P < 0.05 versus the YJB6284 control. (B) Representative images from KOH-treated kidney homogenate. (C) Sections of kidney tissue stained with GMS to reveal in vivo fungal morphology.