title: Selective staining of fungal hyphae in parasitic and symbiotic plant-fungus associations.
abstract: A cytochemical method for light microscopical studies is described which allows the specific detection of fungal hyphae in plant-fungus associations: e.g. lichens, mycorrhiza, or fungal infections of plant tissue. The specimens were fixed and embedded in epoxy resin by a standard protocol for electron microscopy. Semithin sections were successively incubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate labelled wheat germ agglutinin (FITC-WGA) and calcofluor white (CW). FITC-WGA stained exclusively the fungal cell walls while CW stained both the fungal and the plant cell walls. Therefore, FITC-WGA is an excellent marker for the fungal hyphae.
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D037121:Plant Lectins; D010944:Plants / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013559:Symbiosis; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins
chemical_list: D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D005452:Fluoresceins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; C047939:fluorescein isothiocyanate-wheat germ agglutinin; C007061:C.I. Fluorescent Brightening Agent 28; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate