THE INTERACTION BETWEEN TOXOPLASMA GONDII AND MAMMALIAN CELLS

• DOI: 10.1084/jem.136.5.1157
• Publication Date: 2004-06-23T23:23:31Z
• Authors: Thomas C. Jones; Shirley Yeh; James G. Hirsch
• Keywords: HeLa

Macrophage, fibroblast, and HeLa cell cultures have been infected with Toxoplasma gondii, observations made on parasite entry fate. A special procedure was devised for studying the of toxoplasmas by electron microscopy. Toxoplasmas were centrifuged onto cells in cold; fixation 1-3 min after warming yielded specimens showing numerous examples parasites process entering cells. The mechanism into macrophages, fibroblasts, all cases phagocytosis. Micropseudopods extended to envelop attached a typical phagocytic vacuole. Apparently stimulated this response types not usually phagocytic. No instance seen penetration through membrane, or located free cytoplasm. Essentially that entered divided generation time 9 hr; formed large rosettes situated vacuoles, eventually leading host rupture. Macrophages took larger numbers than did cells, but approximately half inside macrophages degenerated within few hours. surviving every 8 hr, forming rupturing