Candida spp. (Stuhl): the pathway in the body

Candida spp. (Stuhl) is part of the pathway “Candida”. This page shows the whole pathway; the station of Candida spp. (Stuhl) is highlighted.

Where this laboratory value sits: Candida as yeast cell — round, single cells. In many people, Candida albicans is present as a yeast cell on mucous membranes and in the gut. In this form the fungus divides by budding. Source 2, 1

In brief

Candida albicans is a yeast that lives on the mucous membranes and in the gut of many people. It can switch from round yeast cells to filaments and then forms the peptide candidalysin, to which mucosal and immune cells respond.

The pathway step by step

1. Candida as yeast cell → Hypha · cAMP–PKA pathway Warmth, pH and certain nutrients switch on a programme via the cAMP pathway: the cell grows out into long threads and forms adhesion molecules such as Als3 on its surface. Source 1, 2
2. Hypha → Ece1 protein In the thread form, the fungus reads the ECE1 gene. The resulting protein consists of eight segments lying one after another. Source 3, 4
3. Ece1 protein → Candidalysin Kex2 protease The protease Kex2 cuts the protein into pieces. The third segment is candidalysin: a small peptide that inserts itself into cell membranes and makes them permeable. Source 3, 4
4. Cell wall β-glucan → Dectin-1 Phagocytes carry Dectin-1, a receptor that binds specifically to β-glucan. Other receptors recognise the mannose chains of the cell wall. Source 5
5. Dectin-1 → Syk and CARD9 Syk kinase · ATP After binding, the kinase Syk switches on the signalling pathway via CARD9. It leads to genes that produce messenger molecules of the immune defence. Source 5, 2
6. Syk and CARD9 → Messengers The cells release cytokines. These attract further immune cells and steer the T-cell response, among other routes via the interleukin-17 axis. Source 2, 5
7. Messengers → Neutrophils Neutrophil granulocytes follow the messenger molecules, engulf fungal cells and break them down with enzymes and reactive oxygen species. Source 2, 5
8. Epithelial cell alarm → Neutrophils Neutrophil granulocytes follow the messenger molecules, engulf fungal cells and break them down with enzymes and reactive oxygen species. Source 2, 5

Cofactors in this pathway

• cAMP — Messenger that switches on the filament programme through protein kinase A Source 1, 2
• Calcium — The Kex2 protease, which cuts candidalysin out of the Ece1 protein, works in a calcium-dependent way Source 6, 3
• Zinc — Bound by the secreted fungal protein Pra1 and then retrieved by the fungus Source 7
• ATP — Phosphate donor of the kinase Syk, which passes on the signal from Dectin-1 Source 5
• NADPH — Electron donor of NADPH oxidase, with which neutrophils form reactive oxygen species Source 8
• Iron — Central atom in the haem of myeloperoxidase, an enzyme of neutrophils Source 9In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: Eisen

Sources

1. Whiteway M, Bachewich C. Morphogenesis in Candida albicans. Annu Rev Microbiol 2007 · PubMed 17506678
2. Gow NA, van de Veerdonk FL, Brown AJ, Netea MG. Candida albicans morphogenesis and host defence: discriminating invasion from colonization. Nat Rev Microbiol 2011 · PubMed 22158429
3. Moyes DL, Wilson D, Richardson JP et al. Candidalysin is a fungal peptide toxin critical for mucosal infection. Nature 2016 · PubMed 27027296
4. Richardson JP, Mogavero S, Moyes DL et al. Processing of Candida albicans Ece1p Is Critical for Candidalysin Maturation and Fungal Virulence. mBio 2018 · PubMed 29362237
5. Drummond RA, Brown GD. The role of Dectin-1 in the host defence against fungal infections. Curr Opin Microbiol 2011 · PubMed 21803640
6. Fuller RS, Brake A, Thorner J. Yeast prohormone processing enzyme (KEX2 gene product) is a Ca2+-dependent serine protease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1989 · PubMed 2646633
7. Citiulo F, Jacobsen ID, Miramón P et al. Candida albicans scavenges host zinc via Pra1 during endothelial invasion. PLoS Pathog 2012 · PubMed 22761575
8. Klebanoff SJ, Kettle AJ, Rosen H et al. Myeloperoxidase: a front-line defender against phagocytosed microorganisms. J Leukoc Biol 2013 · PubMed 23066164
9. Singh E, Gupta A, Singh P et al. Exploring mammalian heme peroxidases: A comprehensive review on the structure and function of myeloperoxidase, lactoperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, thyroid peroxidase and peroxidasin. Arch Biochem Biophys 2024 · PubMed 39278306

Whole pathway: Candida

Related pathways

• Calprotectin — neutrophils

As of 2026-09-16. Draft written by Claude to schema v2; sources checked in PubMed; expert approval pending
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