What name is given to the threadlike filaments that make up the body of most fungi? Hyphae are the threadlike filaments that form the main body of most fungi.
An individual hypha is a long, branching structure that grows mainly at its tip. Many hyphae interconnect to form a mycelium, the network that absorbs nutrients and gives a fungus much of its shape. In soil, wood, or decaying material, this hidden network may be far larger than the mushroom or other reproductive structure visible above the surface.
Most hyphae have cell walls containing chitin, a durable material also found in arthropod exoskeletons. Some hyphae are divided by cross-walls called septa, while others are coenocytic, meaning they lack regular internal partitions. Their narrow form creates a large surface area for releasing digestive enzymes and absorbing dissolved nutrients.
Hyphae should not be confused with rhizoids, which are rootlike anchoring structures in some organisms. A mushroom’s cap and stem are also made largely from tightly packed hyphae, while spores are reproductive units rather than the fungus’s filamentous body.