Origin and ultrastructure of intra-hyphal hyphae in Trichophyton terrestre and T. rubrum.

A cell observation chamber was designed to perform continuous photomicroscopic observations of hyphal anastomosis and the origin of intra-hyphal hyphae in Trichophyton terrestre and T. rubrum. These data were correlated with ultrastructural features of intra-hyphal hyphae. Hyphal fusions occurred commonly in either species of Trichophyton when incubated alone. In T. terrestre, empty phyphal segments adjoined by live units were invaded at the septa from both directions by new hyphal ingrowth. Continuous observations revealed that the intra-hyphal hyphae subsequently anastomosed via a lateral fusion peg. Similar intra-hyphal hyphae were shown in T. rubrum. Electron microscopic studies revealed ascomycetous septa in both conventional hyphae and intra-hyphal hyphae. For the latter, the cytoplasm and wall of the inner hypha were bounded by cytoplasmic organelles and another cell wall of the outer hypha.