What are hyphae?

• A. Short, rigid cells
• B. Long, branching filaments that extend out and form a network with nearby fungi (mycelium)
• C. Genetic material in mitochondria
• D. Photosynthetic pigments

Answer: (B)

Hyphae are the long, branching filaments that form the body of most fungi. They grow at their tips and can intertwine into a vast network called a mycelium, which explores the surrounding substrate to absorb nutrients. This filamentous structure, often segmented by cross walls in some fungi or continuous in others, provides a huge surface area for enzyme secretion and nutrient uptake, which is essential for breaking down complex organic matter. Hyphae are made of fungal cells with chitin in their walls, and they are not short rigid cells, do not house genetic material in mitochondria, and fungi are not photosynthetic, so those other descriptions don’t fit.