Figure 9. Schematic drawing summarizing the observations made in this study.

C. neoformans is proposed to release enzymes that damage the cell membrane of amoebae and macrophages thus releasing phospholipids, possibly in combination with proteins. Those phospholipids are then cleaved by PLB, releasing their polar heads that are in turn sensed by C. neoformans cells, triggering capsule enlargement and the formation of giant cells.