Britannica Sources used in this answer

How do hyphae absorb dissolved nutrients?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Two Amanita pantherina mushrooms with brown caps covered in white spots grow among moss and fallen leaves. — fungus A pair of panther cap mushrooms (*Amanita pantherina*). Closely related to the death cap mushroom (*Amanita phalloides*), the panther cap is highly poisonous.

Fungi obtain nutrients through a process known as osmotrophic nutrition, as they lack the ability to ingest bulk food. To absorb nutrients, fungi secrete digestive enzymes directly onto the organic material on which they are growing.123

These enzymes perform extracellular digestion, breaking down complex polymers—such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids—into smaller, soluble molecules. Once the food is reduced to a dissolved state, it is absorbed directly through the walls of the hyphae. The entire surface of the fungal mycelium is capable of absorbing these dissolved materials from the environment. In some specialized cases, such as with certain parasitic fungi, the organism may produce haustoria to penetrate host tissues and facilitate this nutrient uptake.231