Morphology of the cells and colonies of Mycoplasma hominis.

Studies of the morphology Mycoplasma hominis have shown that the cells resemble those of small coccoid or ovoid bacteria; the microstructure of the organism is compatible with reproduction by a fission process. Although dividing forms with equal-sized lobes are common, fragmenting filaments and replicating buds sometimes occur, perhaps in response to suboptimal growth conditions. Data based on morphometric analysis show that cells of M. hominis ATCC 14027 have average dimensions of 0.27 X 0.74 micron and a mean diameter of 0.42 micron. The volume of a M. hominis cell was only about 60% of that of Ureaplasma urealyticum T960, a species that has a mean cell diameter of 0.5 micron and that is sometimes a pathogen of the human genital tract. There are wide variations in the colonial morphology of M. hominis.