The auxiliary cell is a spore-like structure that form within the

fungal 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 th ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Gigasporaceae (order Gigasporales). Auxiliary cells have thin cell walls, (spiny), papillate, knobby or sometimes smooth surfaces, and are formed from hyphae after spore germination before the formation of

mycorrhizae A mycorrhiza (from Greek μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; pl. mycorrhizae, mycorrhiza or mycorrhizas) is a symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant. The term mycorrhiza refers to the role of the fungus in the plant ...

, and then on the extraradical hyphae in the soil. They may not be 'cells' in the biological sense of the word, as they are structures found with coenocytic hyphae belonging to members of the phylum (division) Glomeromycota. Mostly they are known from members of the Gigasporaceae. Currently this family contains '' Gigaspora'', '' Scutellospora'' and '' Racocetra'', but there are other generic names that have not been widely accepted (''Dentiscutata'', ''Cetraspora'', ''Fuscutata'' and ''Quatunica'') — all of these form auxiliary cells. Members of the genus '' Pacispora'' (another genus in the

Diversisporales The ''Diversisporales'' are an order of generally hypogeous (underground) arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi within the division Glomeromycota. Many have vesicles for energy storage, or auxiliary cells. Species In biology, a species is the basi ...

) are also said to produce a kind of auxiliary cell but this requires further confirmation.

References

Spiny to papillate auxiliary cells from a species of Gigaspora

Fungal morphology and anatomy {{mycology-stub