The Open Parasitology Journal
2010, 4 : 84-97Published online 2010 December 10. DOI: 10.2174/1874421401004010098
Publisher ID: TOPARAJ-4-98
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Endocytosis in Trypanosoma cruzi
1
Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Fede-ral do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, bloco G subsolo, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, 21941- 902, Brazil
2 Diretoria de Programas, Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Normalização e Qualidade Industrial-INMETRO, Av. Nossa Senhora das Graças, 50, Xerém, Duque de Caxias – Rio de Janeiro, 25250-020, Brazil
* Address correspondence to this author at the Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, bloco G subsolo, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de, Janeiro, 21941-902, Brasil; Tel/Fax: 55-21-2562-6593; E-mail: narcisa@biof.ufrj.br
2 Diretoria de Programas, Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Normalização e Qualidade Industrial-INMETRO, Av. Nossa Senhora das Graças, 50, Xerém, Duque de Caxias – Rio de Janeiro, 25250-020, Brazil
* Address correspondence to this author at the Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, bloco G subsolo, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de, Janeiro, 21941-902, Brasil; Tel/Fax: 55-21-2562-6593; E-mail: narcisa@biof.ufrj.br
ABSTRACT
Endocytic activity is particularly intense in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, while in amastigotes and trypomastigotes it is untraceable. Cargo molecules enters through the cytostome or flagellar pocket at the parasite anterior region, goes along a branched early endosomal network of tubules and vesicles spread from nuclear periphery to the posterior pole, until delivery to reservosomes, the final compartment. Reservosomes are acid compartments that store protein and lipid cargo and also accumulate lysosomal hydrolases, modulating digestive activity. Although T. cruzi infective forms are unable to uptake molecules, its lysosome related organelles represent a potential targets for anti-parasitic chemotherapy.