[Morphofunctional features of cells of Candida albicans upon interaction with a polyene antibiotic].

Changes in the volume, mass and concentration of the dry matter in the cells of Candida albicans during 48-hour incubation with various doses of amphotericin B were studied with the use of a polarization interference microscope (BIOLAR, Poland). The changes of the parameters studied had a wave-like pattern under the effect of fungicidal, fungistatic and subfungistatic doses. It was shown that within the first minutes of the contact any dose increased the volume and lowered the concentration of the dry matter of C. albicans cells due to impairment of the cytoplasmic membrane permeability. Later the fungicidal and fungistatic doses of amphotericin B induced irreversible pathological changes in the cells accompanied by an increase in the volume and a decrease in the mass and concentration of the dry matter in the cytoplasm. The subinhibitory concentrations of the drug promoted the fungus growth instead of its inhibition.