Chapter 12: Eukaryotes: Fungi, Algae, Protozoa, and Helminths

Mycology

The study of fungi

Chemoheterotrophs

Fungi that decompose organic matter

Aerobic

Fungi that require oxygen

Facultative anaerobic

Fungi that can survive with or without oxygen

Chitin

A substance found in the cell walls of fungi

Molds

Fungi with filamentous hyphae

Fleshy fungi

Fungi with a mass of hyphae called mycelium

Mycelium

A mass of hyphae

Vegetative hyphae

Hyphae that obtain nutrients

Aerial hyphae

Hyphae involved in reproduction

Yeasts

Nonfilamentous and unicellular fungi

Fission yeasts

Yeasts that divide evenly

Dimorphic fungi

Fungi that can exist as yeastlike or moldlike forms

Spores

Reproductive structures of fungi

Arthroconidia

Asexual spores formed by the fragmentation of hyphae

Conidia

Asexual spores arranged in chains

Pseudohypha

A chain of yeast cells

Conidiophore

A structure that produces conidia

Blastoconidia

Asexual spores formed from the buds of a parent cell

Sporangiospores

Asexual spores formed within a sporangium

Mycosis

Fungal infection

Systemic mycosis

Deep fungal infection within the body

Subcutaneous mycosis

Fungal infection beneath the skin

Cutaneous mycosis

Fungal infection affecting hair, skin, and nails

Opportunistic mycosis

Fungal infection in a compromised host

Algae

Photosynthetic eukaryotes that inhabit water and soil

Protozoa

Unicellular eukaryotes that inhabit water and soil

Fission

Asexual reproduction by splitting into two

Budding

Asexual reproduction by forming a bud

Schizogony

Asexual reproduction by multiple fission

Euglenozoa

Excavata protozoa, including hemoflagellates transmitted by blood-feeding insects

Amebae

Protozoa that move by extending pseudopods

Ciliates

Protozoa that move by cilia arranged in rows

Balantidium coli

The only human parasite among ciliates, causing dysentery

Helminths

Multicellular eukaryotic animals specialized to live in hosts

Platyhelminthes

Flatworms, including trematodes and cestodes

Trematodes

Flat, leaf-shaped flukes that absorb food through a cuticle

Schistosoma

Blood fluke causing schistosomiasis

Cestodes

Tapeworms with a scolex for attachment and proglottids for reproduction

Taenia solium

Pork tapeworm causing intestinal and neurocysticercosis

Nematodes

Roundworms with a complete digestive system

Ascaris lumbricoides

Roundworm infecting human intestines

Enterobius vermicularis

Pinworm

Arthropods

Animals with segmented bodies, hard exoskeletons, and jointed legs

Vectors

Arthropods that carry pathogenic microorganisms

Mechanical transmission

Pathogens carried on the body of a vector

Biological transmission

Pathogens multiply in the vector