The definitions used in this glossary of terminology either have been provided by the authors of the articles, or have been extracted wholly or in part, or paraphrased from the following sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, Charles B. Clayman, MD, Medical Editor, Random House, New York, 1989; Biotechnology from A to Z, 2d Edition, William Bains, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; A Dictionary of Genetics, 6th Edition, Robert C. King and William D. Stansfield, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th and 30th Editions, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2000, 2003; Genes VII, Benjamin Lewin, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2000; The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, Volumes I and II, Stacey L. Blachford, Ed., Thomson Learning, New York, New York, 2002; The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1997; Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3rd Edition, Bruce Alberts, et al., Garland Publishing, 1994; The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition, 1966; Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1991.

DEFINITION:

fungi

Plural of fungus . As Fungi: a kingdom (or in some systems of classification a subdivision in the plant kingdom) of eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms that live as saprobes or parasites, including mushrooms, yeasts, smuts, molds, etc.; they lack chlorophyll, have a cell wall composed of polysaccharides, polypeptides (sometimes), and chitin, reproduce either sexually or asexually, and have a life cycle that ranges from simple to complex. The thallus is unicellular or mycelial; aseptate, partially septate, or septate; and nonmotile. Fruiting bodies range from microscopic hyphae in yeasts to large, complex structures showing limited and reversible tissue differentiation (as in mushrooms). A number of classification systems for the Fungi have been devised, and authorities differ on what divisions should be assigned here.