The capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans contains which substance?

• A. Mucin
• B. Chitin
• C. Glucan
• D. Proteins

Answer: (A)

Capsule composition is defined by a mucopolysaccharide coating that surrounds Cryptococcus neoformans. The capsule is not made of proteins or typical cell-wall polymers like chitin or glucan; its main material is polysaccharide, with the prominent component being glucuronoxylomannan in the real biology. In many clinical or histology contexts, this capsule is described as mucin-like or mucopolysaccharide-rich because of its sugar-rich, glycoprotein-like nature. Among the given options, mucin best captures this idea of a polysaccharide-rich capsule material, making it the most appropriate choice. The other options—cell-wall chitin, cell-wall glucan, or proteins—do not describe the capsule’s primary constituent.