The article focused on how amastigotes can invade mammalian cells with infectivities …

• Abstract
• Overview
• Early observations on the entry of trypomastigotes and extracellular amastigotes in HeLa and Vero cells
• Intracellular vs. extracellular amastigotes as infective forms of the parasites
• T. cruzi invasion of cells transfected with cytoskeletal elements, carbohydrates or regulatory Rho-GTPases
• Cell invasion by extracellular amastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes of strains from the two major phylogenetic lineages
• Cell invasion and intracellular fate of infective forms
• Invasion by T. cruzi of Vero cells colonized with Coxiella burnetii
• Perspectives
• Acknowledgments
• References
• Figures

Biology Articles » Parasitology » Mammalian cell invasion and intracellular trafficking by Trypanosoma cruzi infective forms » Perspectives

Perspectives

- Mammalian cell invasion and intracellular trafficking by Trypanosoma cruzi infective forms

It is clear that the mechanisms of invasion used by T. cruzi extracellular amastigotes, TCTs and metacyclic trypomastigotes are divergent. Added to this complexity is the finding of variation between isolates of the two main phylogenetic groups. The molecular information available for trypomastigote penetration, with the identification of putative ligands and their receptors, has not been paralleled in amastigote studies. So far, only a few parasite components, most of carbohydrate nature have been identified as important components for cell invasion. Emerging evidence suggest that these infective forms might, presumably by engaging different receptors, be trafficking in cytoplasmic compartments of distinct composition and maturation characteristics. The introduction of the companion pathogen, C. burnetii, has revealed new insights into these intricate processes. Mapping amastigote ligands and their putative receptors should provide molecular tools to explore these interactions in deeper detail. Also, the availability of GFP-tagged components acting in host cell endocytic and lysosomal pathways will offer the unique opportunity to carry out live cell experiments.