Adherence of Candida albicans to Cultured Keratinocytes

The role of antigen 6 in the adherence process of Candida albicans serotype A to cultured keratinocytes was examined with a scanning electron microscope. The number of adhered organisms was significantly lower for the antigen 6-deficient mutant strain than that for the antigen 6-positive parent strain. Fibrilor strand-like structures bridging the organisms and the keratinocytes were found to develop during the later stages of the adherence. The keratinocyte growth was suppressed by co-culture with C. albicans, but was stimulated by the addition of diluted culture Filtrate from C. albicans.