The parasitic form of Fonsecaea pedrosoi from the hyperkeratotic layer of the skin was obtained from four patients with chromoblastomycosis. Primary cultures containing hyphae and conidia were successfully converted into sclerotic cells in the presence of 800 muM propranolol and low pH as described before [1]. the morphology of sclerotic cells of F pedrosoi obtained in vivo and in vitro was analyzed by light and electron microscopy. Their antigenicity was also compared by immunofluorescence microscopy and ELISA assays, using serum samples from untreated patients infected with F pedrosoi. Due to the similarity of the sclerotic cells obtained in vivo and in vitro, the latter can be more adequately in studies of host-parasite interactions in chromoblastomycosis. (C) 2002 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biofis Carlos Chagas Filho, BR-21949970 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilFed Univ Para, Dept Farm, CCS, BR-66000 Belem, PA, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Microbiol, BR-21949970 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilInst Evandro Chagas Fundacao Nacl Saude, BR-66000 Belem, PA, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc
