Symmetry patterning by the causative organism of rhinosporidiosis in culture

Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic polypoidal infection of the nose, conjunctiva and other sites, believed to be caused by a fungus, Rhinosporidium Seeberi, with a doubtful taxonomy. Polyps contain histological round bodies and the exact mode of infection is not known. The round bodies are filled up with spherules. In tissue the organism forms spherical round bodies approaching 50-500µ in diameter that contain innumerable single-celled organisms that mature at different rates. Mature organisms are approximately 7-9µ in size and escape through a pore that develops in the wall of the round body. The round body does not exist in nature outside the host.

The organism in rhinosporidiosis was believed to be uncultivable, until we cultured it for the first time in our laboratory. We further modified the culture medium and succeeded in culturing the causative agent of the disease in CBEML (Cell Biology and Electron Microcopy Laboratory) medium. Here we present some of the peculiar conspicuous features of the organism in culture leading to symmetry patterning.