VMC 211: General Veterinary Microbiology (1+1)

CELL WALL

• The cell wall is the important structure in fungus. It determines the shape and the process of fungal morphogenesis. The wall consists of microfibrils made of hemicellulose and chitin. The matrix material of the wall where the microfibrils are embedded consists of proteins, lipids and other substances.
• Many varieties of fungi share the same polysaccharides and hence have the same surface antigens. But many unique antigenic determinants resulting from the different branching patterns of the polysaccharide are also found within a certain group. These are useful for classification.