Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and mitosporic fungi. Dimorphic fungi may exhibit two different growth forms. Outside the body they grow as a mold, producing hyphae and asexual reproductive spores, but in the body they grow in a yeast-like form.
Fungi. Fungi are eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms with rigid cell walls that typically reproduce by the production of spores. Characteristic of fungi are their cell walls that may contain chitin (a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine), glucans, mannans and cellulose. The fungi are also unique in their ability to reproduce asexually and /or sexually, in either case, with the subsequent production of spores.  Here we consider several examples of yeasts and dimorphic fungi: the common baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae the genus Cryptococcus, which includes C. neoformans, a pathogen of humans the dimorphic fungus Candida albicans which can be a significant pathogen of humans some of the common leaf surface yeasts. But this distinction is not a fundamental one, because some fungi can alternate between a yeast phase and a hyphal phase, depending on environmental conditions. Such fungi are termed dimorphic (with two shapes) and they include several that cause disease of humans. 4. Dimorphic fungi may exhibit two different growth forms. Outside the body they grow as a mold, producing hyphae and asexual reproductive spores, but in the body they grow in a yeast-like form. 5. The appearance of a mold and the type of spores it produces is useful in its identification. 2. Dimorphic fungi. Dimorphic fungi may exhibit two different growth forms. Outside the body they grow as a mold, producing hyphae and asexual reproductive spores, but in the body they grow in a non-mycelial yeast form. Histoplasma capsulatum. Histoplasma capsulatum is a good example of a thermally dimorphic fungus. This fungus grows in its yeast form at 37°C, but switches to mold form at 20-25°C. H. capsulatum is found throughout the world in substrates rich in nitrates such as bird droppings, chicken manure and bat guano. Dimorphism is common with some members of the major divisions of the fungal kingdom, i.e., Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and mitosporic fungi. Some dimorphic fungi will switch to yeast or mold form depending on the prevailing temperature. These fungi are referred to as thermally dimorphic fungus. any member of the kingdom fungi, a group of eukaryotic organisms that includes mushrooms, yeasts, and molds, which lack chlorophyll, have a rigid cell wall in some stage of the life cycle, and reproduce by means of spores. Fungi are present in the soil, air, and water, but only a few species can cause disease. pl. fungi [L.] a general term for a group of eukaryotic organisms (mushrooms, yeasts, molds, etc.) marked by the absence of chlorophyll, the presence of a rigid cell wall in some stage of the life cycle, and reproduction The terms are applied to fungi because they can have different forms, of hyphae or spores. At the most obvious, fungi commonly have sexual and asexual stages in their life cycles. What is less commonly understood, is that some fungi may have many morphologically different types of asexual spore. Many fungi produce two different spore types during asexual proliferation. Unfortunately, these states can cause confusion when the spore resembles those of other fungi. Similarity of form does not necessarily indicate relatedness, and care must be taken when naming fungi using asexual structures. D imorphic fungi are those fungi that exist either in yeast form or as mold (mycelial form) depending on environmental conditions, physiological conditions of the fungus or the genetic characteristics. As yeasts, dimorphic fungi exist as single cells and multiply by old cells producing daughter cells. Dimorphism is common with some members of the major divisions of the fungal kingdom, i.e., Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and mitosporic fungi. Some dimorphic fungi will switch to yeast or mold form depending on the prevailing temperature. These fungi are referred to as thermally dimorphic Examples of Dimorphic Fungi in Indoor Environments. Examples of dimorphic fungi in indoor environments are Aureobasidium pullulans, Histoplasma capsulatum and Sporothrix spp. Aureobasidium pullulans. Aureobasidium pullulans is both a soil and leaf (phylloplane) fungus. Dimorphism is common with some members of the major divisions of the fungal kingdom, i.e., Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and mitosporic fungi. Some dimorphic fungi will switch to yeast or mold form depending on the prevailing temperature. These fungi are referred to as thermally dimorphic
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types of dimorphic fungi