what is hyphae

Hyphae are long, branching, filamentous structures found in fungi, oomycetes, and actinobacteria. They are the main mode of vegetative growth in most fungi and are collectively called a mycelium. Hyphae consist of one or more cells surrounded by a tubular cell wall, and in most fungi, they are divided into cells by internal cross-walls called "septa". Septa are usually perforated by pores large enough for ribosomes, mitochondria, and sometimes nuclei to flow between cells. The major structural polymer in fungal cell walls is typically chitin, in contrast to plants and oomycetes that have cellulosic cell walls. Some fungi have aseptate hyphae, meaning their hyphae are not partitioned by septa. Hyphae grow at their tips, and during tip growth, cell walls are extended by the external assembly and polymerization of cell wall components, and the internal components are extended from the tips. The average diameter of hyphae is approximately 4 to 6 microns.