For a very long time, ancient scientists mistakenly attributed mushrooms to the same group as plants. And this was done only because of their external resemblance. After all, mushrooms, like plants, cannot move. And at first glance they are not at all like animals. However, as soon as scientists got the opportunity to study the cells, they found that the fungal cell is in many ways similar to the cell of animals. Therefore, these living organisms are no longer classified as plants. However, they cannot be attributed to animals, since the mushroom cell, in addition to similarities, has a number of differences from the animal. In this regard, mushrooms were allocated to a separate kingdom. Thus, in nature there are five kingdoms of living organisms: animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and viruses.
The main features of the mushroom cell
Mushrooms are eukaryotes. These are living organisms in the cells of which there is a nucleus. It is necessary in order to protect the genetic information recorded on DNA. Eukaryotes, except mushrooms, are animals and plants.
There are both unicellular and multicellular fungi .
A fungal cell, like all eukaryotic cells, consists of three parts: a plasma membrane, a nucleus, and a cytoplasm. The latter contains organoids and inclusions. Organoids are permanent. They perform certain functions in the cell. Inclusions are unstable. They mainly perform a spare function. They do not have such a complex structure as organoids. Basically, it's just drops or crystals of nutrients that a mushroom cell can use if necessary.
What is a mushroom cell like a plant cell?
The main similarity is that the structure of the fungal cell provides for the presence of a cell wall on top of the plasma membrane. Such a formation is not characteristic of animal cells, but it is also present in plants. However, in the representatives of the flora, the cell wall is built of cellulose, and in fungi it consists of chitin.
The similarities of the cell of the fungus and the animal
The main feature that makes the structure of a mushroom cell similar to an animal is the presence of inclusions from glycogen. Unlike plants that store starch, mushrooms, like animals, store glycogen.
Another similarity is the way cells are fed. Fungi are heterotrophs, that is, they receive ready-made organic substances from the outside. Plants are autotrophs. They photosynthesize, receiving nutrients on their own.
Organoids
The fungal cell, the figure of which can be seen below, has organoids such as mitochondria, ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, the cell center and the Golgi complex.
In addition, vacuole may be present in the old fungal cell. All of the above organelles perform their functions. Let's consider them in a short plate.
| Organoid | Function |
| Mitochondria | Cellular respiration (energy production) |
| Ribosomes | Translation process (formation of a polypeptide chain from individual amino acids) |
| Endoplasmic reticulum | Fat synthesis, participation in metabolism |
| Lysosomes | Cell digestion |
| Cell center | Participation in the process of cell division |
| Golgi complex | Synthesis of organic substances, classification of proteins |
Unlike plants, fungal cells do not contain plastids. In plants, these organoids are responsible for photosynthesis (chloroplasts) and color of petals (chromoplasts). Mushrooms also differ from plants in that in their case only the old cell has a vacuole. Plant cells have this organoid throughout their entire life cycle.
Mushroom core
Since they are eukaryotes, a nucleus is contained in each of their cells. It is intended to protect the genetic information recorded on DNA, as well as to coordinate all processes occurring in the cell.
This structure has a nuclear membrane, in which there are special pores consisting of special proteins - nucleoprions. Thanks to the pores, the nucleus can exchange substances with the cytoplasm.
The environment that is inside the membrane is called karyoplasm. It contains DNA in the form of chromosomes.
Unlike plants and animals, whose cells usually contain one nucleus (for example, multinuclear muscle tissue cells or nuclear-free platelets), the fungal cell often has not one, but two or more nuclei.
Conclusion - Mushroom Variety
So, when we have already figured out how the cell of these organisms is arranged, let's briefly examine their varieties.
First of all, there are unicellular and multicellular fungi. Among unicellular, the most famous and widely used by man are yeast. In addition, there are a number of unicellular fungi that parasitize on other organisms, thereby causing a variety of diseases, such as powdery mildew in plants or ringworm in animals.
Multicellular fungi, depending on the structure, are divided into the following classes: basidiomycetes, ascomycetes, oomycetes, zygomycetes and chitridiomycetes.