Most of the fungal species that infect humans can grow in more than one morphological form but only a subset of pathogens produce\r\nfilamentous hyphae during the infection process. This subset is phylogenetically unrelated and includes the commonly carried\r\nyeasts, Candida albicans, C. dubliniensis, andMalassezia spp., and the acquired pathogens, Aspergillus fumigatus and dermatophytes\r\nsuch as Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes. The primary function of hypha formation in these opportunistic pathogens is\r\nto invade the substrate they are adhered to, whether biotic or abiotic, but other functions include the directional translocation between\r\nhost environments, consolidation of the colony, nutrient acquisition and the formation of 3-dimensional matrices. To support\r\nthese functions, polarised hyphal growth is co-regulated with other factors that are essential for normal hypha function in vivo.
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