The use of ferritin-conjugated antibodies in the study of cell wall components of Candida albicans.

Abstract

Studies on the antigenic sites of the cell wall of Candida albicans were performed with ferritin-conjugated antisera of rabbits immunized with heat-killed cells in the yeast phase. Whole cells, from yeast and mycelial forms, and preparations of walls from disrupted cells were labeled with ferritin-conjugated antibodies. Ferritin-labeled anti-yeast phase IgG antibodies reacted equally well with the yeast and mycelial forms. The label was uniformly distributed over both the internal and external surfaces of the cell wall. This study demonstrates the continuity of antigenic determinants in the cell wall of both forms of C. albicans.