FIG 2.

The general muscarinic receptor agonist pilocarpine hydrochloride inhibits filamentation and biofilm formation in vitro without affecting cell viability. (A to J) To assess the effects of PHCl on C. albicans morphology and viability, microscopy was employed. Light microscopy (LM) (A to E) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (F to J) was performed to visualize changes in biofilm biomass and C. albicans cell morphology after culture for 24 h in RPMI 1640 containing different concentrations of PHCl (0 to 50 mM). Representative images are shown from duplicate coverslips of three independent experiments. YC, yeast cells; PH, pseudohyphae; TH, true hyphae. Bars, 100 µm (A to E) and 700 µm (F to J). (K to O) Fluorescence microscopy (FM) was performed to assess cell viability. C. albicans was cultured for 24 h in RPMI 1640 containing different concentrations of PHCl, and viability was assessed using calcofluor white (blue) and propidium iodide (red) staining. Representative images are shown from duplicate coverslips of three independent experiments. Bars, 100 µm.