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Partners in Crime
26 March 2015

Partners in Crime

When infecting microorganisms begin to invade the host’s body, the immune system sends out an army of immune cells to consume and destroy them. It’s thought that some types of bugs could exploit this immune response to help other species co-infect. Candida albicans (a fungus) and Staphylococcus aureus (a bacterium) – often identified in polymicrobial infections and the cause of serious disease – are an example of this. Researchers witnessed a hypha [a growing filament] of C. albicans piercing through a macrophage (the immune cells pictured) after it had been engulfed (false-coloured purple), and S. aureus (pictured in green) was observed co-escaping from the macrophage because of its attraction to the hyphae. This interaction between two different microorganisms gives insight into a complex relationship worthy of further research, as it could not only help our understanding of the immune response, but also help produce new treatment options for patients.

Written by Katie Panteli

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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