Cladosporium: Shield Cells and Fragile Chains
Original bench-card visual for recognizing Cladosporium: erect branching conidiophores with shield-shaped cells and fragile chains of elliptical dematiaceous blastoconidia.
Cladosporium: shield cells and easily dislodged conidial chains
Cladosporium is a slow-growing dematiaceous mold. The anchors are shield-shaped cells at branch points and fragile branching chains of dark elliptical conidia that dislodge easily during mounting.
Shield-shaped cells sit at branch points and bear two or more dark scars where conidia attach. These cells anchor the branching chains.
Elliptical dark conidia form branching chains that break apart easily during mount preparation. Intact chains are best seen on a tape prep.
Shield-shaped cells sit at branch points and bear two or more dark scars where conidia attach. These cells anchor the branching chains.
Elliptical dark conidia form branching chains that break apart easily during mount preparation. Intact chains are best seen on a tape prep.
Cladosporium visual anchors
| Visual clue | Meaning | Student shorthand |
|---|---|---|
| Shield cells at branch points | Cladosporium pattern | Two or more dark attachment scars per cell |
| Branching chains of conidia | Acropetal chain clue | Chains build outward and branch |
| Chains dislodge during mounting | Fragility clue | Tape prep preserves intact chains better than a tease mount |
| Skin, sinus, or environmental source | Clinical context | Often a contaminant; interpret with source and host per SOP |
Cladosporium interpretation guide
| Pattern | What to call it | How to think about it |
|---|---|---|
| Shield cells with branching dark chains | Cladosporium-compatible morphology | Confirm by validated mold ID workflow |
| Collarette phialides with conidial clusters | Phialophora pattern | Different conidiogenous structure |
| Mixed sporulation with denticles | Fonsecaea pattern | Compare chromoblastomycosis agents |
- Cladosporium is a shield-cell card.
- Shield cells and fragile branching chains are the anchors.
- Tape prep preserves the chains that tease mounts tend to break.
Cladosporium = shield cells plus fragile branching chains of dark conidia.