title: Candida attachment to oral epithelium.
abstract: Inflamed oral mucosa biopsies from patients with thrush and high candidal density were observed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) using ultra-histochemical staining with ruthenium red for glycocalyx visualization. Fimbriae comprising the glycocalyx and enabling yeast adhesion to epithelial cells were clearly visualized by ruthenium red. All internalized portions of the yeast walls were devoid of glycocalyx, indicating that the growing tips of the hyphae mechanically penetrated the host cells. The attachment of Candida occurred in two ways: by fimbria-mediated adhesion enabling colonization of the epithelial surface, and by invasion of the superficial epithelial cells via hyphae. As the interaction between adhesin receptors and adhesins stimulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines, Candida adhesion itself is assumed to induce mucosal inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electron Microscopy, Light Microscopy and Digital Image Acquisition, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vitkov
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Krautgartner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hannig
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weitgasser
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stoiber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002175:Candida / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D019276:Glycocalyx / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D025301:Hyphae / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins