Dolipore septa are specialized dividing walls between cells (septa) found in almost all species of

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

in the phylum Basidiomycota. Unlike most fungal septa, they have a barrel-shaped swelling around their central pore, which is about 0.1–0.2 µm wide. This structure is typically capped at either end by specialized

membrane A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. ...

s, called "

parenthesome Within the cells of some members of basidiomycetes fungi are found microscopic structures called parenthesomes or septal pore caps. They are shaped like parentheses and found on either side of pores in the dolipore septum which separates cells wit ...

s" (after their parenthesis-like appearance under a microscope) or simply "pore caps". Dolipore septa vary significantly between monokaryotic and

dikaryotic The dikaryon is a cell nucleus, nuclear feature which is unique to certain fungi. (The green alga ''Derbesia'' had been long considered an exception, until the heterokaryotic hypothesis was challenged by later studies.) Compatible cell-types can fus ...

hyphae, which form at different points in basidiomycete life cycles. In monokaryotic but not dikaryotic hyphae, the parenthesomes are continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum, and the septal walls are constructed from different material than the cell walls. All dolipore septa can allow

cytoplasm In cell biology, the cytoplasm is all of the material within a eukaryotic cell, enclosed by the cell membrane, except for the cell nucleus. The material inside the nucleus and contained within the nuclear membrane is termed the nucleoplasm. ...

, and sometimes mitochondria, to flow through their pores; those in monokaryotic hyphae have perforated parenthesomes, which allow

cell nuclei The cell nucleus (pl. nuclei; from Latin or , meaning ''kernel'' or ''seed'') is a membrane-bound organelle found in eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells usually have a single nucleus, but a few cell types, such as mammalian red blood cells, ha ...

to flow through as well. The structure was first described by Royall Moore and James McAlear in 1962.Sumbali 2005, p. xii

References

{{Basidiomycota-stub Fungal morphology and anatomy