Publication details
Fine structure of invasion and development of Cryptosporidium muris in experimentally infected host
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2007 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Zoologické dny, Sborník abstraktů z konference 8.-9. únors 2007 |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | feeder organelle; infection; ultrastructure |
| Description | Vertebrate pathogen Cryptosporidium muris Tyzzer, 1907 from stomach of experimentally infected multimammate rats (Mastomys natalensis) was studied by transmission electron microscopy. Animals shedding C. muris oocysts were euthanised and necropsied 25.DPI (day post infection). Stomachs were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.2M phosphate buffer and prepared for transmission electron microscopy. Cryptosporidium is characteristic by its location on the surface of epithelial cells and its zoite is attached to the host cell through a special organelle, termed feeder organelle. This study describes the features in the attachment strategy and development of C. muris, which is located in the microvillous border of the gastric glands. Based on our observation, since C. muris invasive stages attach to the host microvillous surface, the parasite is probably epicellular and is not located intracellularly and at the extracytoplasmatic site as it is traditionally referred to. The zoite is in the final stage enveloped by parasitophorous vacuole, the inner membrane of which originated from plasma membrane in the apical region of the gastric cells. The enveloped zoite did not come into close contact with the host cell cytoplasm, except the region of tunnel connection between the host cell and the anterior vacuole and later the feeder organelle. All developmental stages, except invasive stages (free sporozoites and merozoites) and released oocysts, were surrounded by parasitophorous vacuole. Developmental stages including the trophozoite, Type I meront producing eight merozoites, Type II meront producing four merozoites, macrogamont, microgamont containing sixteen non-flagellated microgametes and finally oocyst with four sporozoites were studied. The feeder organelle began to dissolve and arrangement of the membrane folds disintegrated with the ageing of meronts and gamonts. |
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