Chapter 22, Problem 10STP

Summary Introduction

To write: The comparison and contrast of septate and aseptate hyphae.

Introduction:Fungi are the eukaryotes, which have plant-like cells, but lacks photosynthesis. The physical structure of fungi differs from plants. It is made of long cell chains. The filaments of fungi serve as the essential structural units comprising the body of a multicellular fungus known as hyphae.

Explanation of Solution

In many fungi, cross-walls called septa separate the hyphae into cells. The septa have large pores that enable the flow of nutrients, cytoplasm, organelles, and, in some cases, nuclei between the cells.

Few fungi are aseptate, which means they do not have septa. The cytoplasm, comprising hundreds or thousands of nuclei, moves freely through the hyphae. This condition causes repeated mitosis without Cytokinesis. Nutrients and other substances pass very quickly through aseptate hyphae.

At their tips, hyphae expand and branch continuously to create net-like material known as mycelium. The hyphae produce all parts of the mushroom present above ground and the mycelium below ground. The hyphae help in obtaining nutrients by giving a large surface area for the absorption of nutrients.

Conclusion

Thus,the septate and aseptate hyphae help the fungi to pass nutrients and other substances easily through them.