Abstract
Fifty-five strains of Candida albicans from various sources were compared in vitro with respect to their cell surface hydrophobicity and their adhesive capability to human buccal epithelial cells and a polystyrene surface. The capability of yeast to adhere to both surfaces varied markedly from strain to strain. However, there was no discernible difference in the mean number of yeast cell adhesivity to the epithelial cells between the isolates from pathological specimens and those from healthy individuals, whereas the average number of cells from the laboratory strains was significantly smaller than that of the fresh isolates. In contrast, similar adhesive capabilities to the plastic surface were obtained from the various isolates and laboratory strains. C. albicans cells, irrespective of their origin, showed low cell surface hydrophobicity with two exceptions. Yeast cell surface hydrophobicity was not closely correlated with the adhesion to epithelial cells. Further, some of the hydrophilic yeast cells adhered in considerable numbers to a polystyrene surface.
