Extensible membrane nanotubules mediate attachment of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes under flow.

ABSTRACT: Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, an important cause of infectious chronic myocardiopathy in Latin America. The life cycle of the parasite involves two main hosts: a triatomine (arthropod hematophagous vector) and a mammal. Epimastigotes are flagellated forms inside the triatomine gut; they mature in its intestine into metacyclic trypomastigotes, the infective form for humans. Parasites attach despite the shear stress generated by fluid flow in the intestines of the host, but little is known about the mechanisms that stabilize attachment in these conditions. Here, we describe the effect of varying levels of shear stress on attached T. cruzi epimastigotes using a parallel plate flow chamber. When flow is applied, parasites are partially dragged but maintain a con

SUBMITTER: Perdomo-Gomez CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10032539 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature