ULTRARAPID CRYOFIXATION OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS - EVIDENCE FOR A FIBRILLAR RETICULATED EXTERNAL LAYER AND MANNAN CHANNELS WITHIN THE CELL-WALL

Candida albicans cell wall was investigated after an ultrarapid cryofi xation method and identification of mannans and chitin. Two major stru ctural features were observed:- a fibrillar rippled external layer ari sing from basal boles and organized in a geometrical network; these fi brils were labeled for mannans; -mannans channels were identified thro ugh the whole cell wall thickness. The intermediate layer appeared as a granular structure, composed of chitin.