The dynamics of ultrastructural changes during Entamoeba invadens encystation. Issue 12 (14th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mousa, Eman Abdelazeem Abuelwafa; Sakaguchi, Miako; Nakamura, Risa; Abdella, Osama Hussein; Yoshida, Hiroki; Hamano, Shinjiro; Mi-ichi, Fumika
• Is Part Of: Parasitology. Volume 147:Issue 12(2020)
• Page Start: 1305
• Page End: 1312
• Publication Date: 2020-10-14
• Subjects: Cell differentiation, -- dormancy, -- infectious disease, -- protozoan parasite; Parasitology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.96
• DOI: 10.1017/S0031182020001079
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-1820

Abstract

Abstract: Entamoeba histolytica infection causes amoebiasis, which is a global public health problem. The major route of infection is oral ingestion of E. histolytica cysts, cysts being the sole form responsible for host-to-host transmission. Cysts are produced by cell differentiation from proliferative trophozoites in a process termed 'encystation'. Therefore, encystation is an important process from a medical as well as a biological perspective. Previous electron microscopy studies have shown the ultrastructure of precysts and mature cysts; however, the dynamics of ultrastructural changes during encystation were ambiguous. Here, we analysed a series of Entamoeba invadens encysting cells by transmission electron microscopy. Entamoeba invadens is a model for encystation and the cells were prepared by short interval time course sampling from in vitro encystation-inducing cultures. We related sampled cells to stage conversion, which was monitored in the overall population by flow cytometry. The present approach revealed the dynamics of ultrastructure changes during E . invadens encystation. Importantly, the results indicate a functional linkage of processes that are crucial in encystation, such as glycogen accumulation and cyst wall formation. Hence, this study provides a reference for studying sequential molecular events during Entamoeba encystation.