INTRACELLULAR GROWTH OF HISTOPLASMA CAPSULATUM

Abstract

Howard, Dexter H. (University of California, Los Angeles). Intracellular growth of Histoplasma capsulatum. J. Bacteriol. 89:518-523. 1965.-Under a variety of experimental conditions, the generation time of Histoplasma capsulatum in mammalian histiocytes was remarkably constant. The rate of intracellular growth of five different isolates of H. capsulatum was very similar. The generation time of the fungus within guinea pig cells was nearly the same as it was within mouse cells under comparable conditions. Preliminary exposure of yeast cells to specific antibodies and complement did not affect intracellular proliferation of the fungus during the first 24 hr after phagocytosis by mouse histiocytes. The rate of growth of the fungus within cells from immunized mice and guinea pigs was comparable to that in cells from normal animals. This latter result was not altered by preliminary exposure of the fungus to hyperimmune serum and complement.