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Micromorphology of Cryptococcus neoformans¹

Division of Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany 12201
Institute of Preventive Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York 12208

ABSTRACT

Fine details of the internal and external morphology of Cryptococcus neoformans as seen in ultrathin sections are described and illustrated with electron micrographs. The capsule characteristic of this species contained microfibrils (30 to 40 A in diameter) that appeared to radiate from the cell wall and to coil and intertwine in various directions. These thin, uniformly structured, electron-dense filaments are believed to represent complex polysaccharide molecules. The internal morphology of C. neoformans was in many ways similar to that of yeasts studied by other authors. The cell was uninucleate with a single nucleolus. The nuclear envelope, a pair of unit membranes interrupted by pores, was typical of that found in eucaryotic organisms. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, vacuoles, storage granules, and ribosomes were consistent features of the cytoplasm. In addition, C. neoformans presented membranous organelles derived from the plasma membrane and comparable to bacterial mesosomes and mitochondria of an annulate type.

¹ Part of this paper was presented (7) at the Sixth International Congress for Electron Microscopy, 1966, Kyoto, Japan.

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