The effect of growth medium on filament production inCandida albicans

Five liquid media were tested for their ability to promote filamentation in Candida albicans. Three isolates, including one atypical variant, all developed mycelium in the early stages of growth. The proportion of mycelium produced was highest in the complex media with slightly alkaline pH values (7·5 to 8·6). The time at which mycelial development reached a peak and gave way to the production of budding yeast cells was directly proportional to the minimum doubling time of C. albicans in each medium. The principal effect of the medium was initially to induce filamentation in a greater or lesser number of blastospores.