Figure 3

Extent of internalization of A. fumigatus conidia by epithelial cells determined by nystatin protection assay. A. fumigatus conidia and 16HBE14o- cells were co-incubated for the indicated times, then treated with nystatin-supplemented or nystatin-free media for 3 hrs. Cells were lysed, and recovered conidia were plated to count colony forming units. At each time point, the rate of internalization was determined as the number of colony forming units recovered from nystatin-treated wells divided by the number from control-treated wells. The mean % of internalization ± SD from three biological replicates is shown for each time point.