Changes in the structural organization of the cytoskeleton of Tritrichomonas foetus during trophozoite-pseudocyst transformation

•High resolution SEM contributed to obtain the new structural data during piriform-pseudocyst transformation.•The pseudocyst cytoskeleton undergo drastic morphological changes.•In multinucleated/polymastigont pseudocyst the costa acquires variable conformations.•In multinucleated/polymastigont pseud...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Micron (Oxford, England : 1993) England : 1993), 2015-06, Vol.73, p.28-35
Main Authors: de Andrade Rosa, Ivone, de Souza, Wanderley, Benchimol, Marlene
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Axostyle
Cattle
Costa
Cytoskeleton
Cytoskeleton - ultrastructure
Endoflagellar form
Flagella - ultrastructure
High resolution scanning electron microscopy
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods
Microtubules - ultrastructure
Protozoan
Tritrichomonas foetus - cytology
Tritrichomonas foetus - growth & development
Tritrichomonas foetus - ultrastructure
Trophozoites - ultrastructure
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Summary:•High resolution SEM contributed to obtain the new structural data during piriform-pseudocyst transformation.•The pseudocyst cytoskeleton undergo drastic morphological changes.•In multinucleated/polymastigont pseudocyst the costa acquires variable conformations.•In multinucleated/polymastigont pseudocyst the axostyle can be fragmented. Tritrichomonas foetus is a parasite that causes bovine trichomonosis, a major sexually transmitted disease in cattle. It grows in axenic media as a trophozoite with a pear-shaped body, three anterior flagella, and one recurrent flagellum. However, under some well-controlled experimental conditions in vitro, as well as in vivo in infected bulls, the parasite acquires a spherical or elliptical shape, and the flagella are internalized but the cells do not display a cyst wall. This form, known as the endoflagellar or pseudocystic form, is viable, and can be transformed back to trophozoites with pear-shaped body. We used confocal laser scanning microscopy, and high resolution scanning electron microscopy to examine the changes that take place in the protozoan cytoskeleton during trophozoite-pseudocyst transformation. Results confirmed previous studies and added new structural information to the organization of cytoskeletal structures during the transformation process. We observed that changes take place in the pseudocysts’ axostyle and costa, which acquired a curved shape. In addition, the costa of multinucleated/polymastigont pseudocysts took variable conformations while curved. The costa accessory structure, as well as a network of filaments connecting this structure to the region where the recurrent flagellum associates to the protozoan body, was not seen in pseudocysts. In addition, the axostyle was fragmented during trophozoite-pseudocyst transformation.
ISSN:0968-4328
1878-4291
DOI:10.1016/j.micron.2015.03.008