Dataset for "Pachinko spore chamber — A customizable, single-use microfluidic device for phenotyping spores over time"

Fungal spores are critical for dispersal, survival, and pathogenicity, yet studying their development at single-cell resolution remains challenging. Here, we introduce the Pachinko Spore Chamber, a high-throughput microfluidic platform designed to capture, spatially isolate, and monitor individual fungal spores over time. This device enables real-time imaging of fungal development, allowing precise quantification of germination, hyphal growth, and conidiophore formation while minimizing interspore interactions. Using Aspergillus fumigatus, we observed both expected developmental transitions and previously unreported or rarely seen phenotypes, including chlamydospore formation, conidiophore splitting, extended “chains” of conidia, and microcyclic conidiation, which may be influenced by microenvironmental constraints. This study establishes the Pachinko Spore Chamber as a versatile and scalable platform for fungal phenotyping, antifungal screening, and stress response studies, providing new insights into fungal development and viability under controlled conditions. Videos of the observed phenomena are included in this data set.