IMPACT OF MAGNETIC FIELDS ON MORPHOLOGY OF CRYPTOCOCCUS SPP. CELLS

Magnetic fields exert a significant influence on cells and tissues, interacting in ways that induce morphological changes affecting the structure and size of cells. In addition to these structural alterations, exposure to magnetic fields can also impact the mechanical properties of cells, such as their stiffness and deformability. Accordingly, this study aims to perform a comparative analysis of the capsule size, cell body, and total dimensions of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii cells after prolonged exposure to different static magnetic fields. To carry out this study, Cryptococcus cells were initially cultured in Sabouraud medium at 28 °C for 24 hours to accelerate growth and obtain fungi in their exponential phase. After this incubation period, the cells were plated on capsule-inducing medium and distributed on supports containing magnets with magnetic fields of different magnitudes and directions. Control plates were also prepared, containing minimal medium with fungal cells but without magnetic field exposure. The plates were subjected to agitation at 90 rpm and maintained at 28 °C for seven days. After the incubation period, microscope slides were prepared using 10 µl of fungal suspension and approximately 2 µl of India ink. The samples were analyzed under an optical microscope using 40x and 100x objectives, and the captured images were processed using ImageJ software to measure capsule size, cell body, and total cell dimensions. For statistical analysis of the data, GraphPad Prism software was used to evaluate the statistical significance and biological relevance of the results. Preliminary results suggest that magnetic fields can directly influence cell morphology, particularly regarding the size of the polysaccharide capsule. As future perspectives, the study intends to deepen the analysis of cellular mechanics, investigating in greater detail how these effects interfere with capsule elastic properties, cell division process and fungal pathogenesis.

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).