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Published on: August 11, 2012
[Electron microscopic study on Trichomonas vaginalis adhering to and phagocytizing male genitourinary epithelial
Wenlie Chen1, Jinfu Chen, Xiurong Zhong
1Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350004, China. chen.wl@163.com
Objective:
To observe Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) adhering to and phagocytizing male genitourinary epithelial cells in order to study the pathogenetic mechanism of male trichomoniasis.
Methods:
Cultured T. vaginalis bodies were incubated with male genitourinary epithelial cells, and then the ultrastructure was observed with transmission electron microscopy.
Results:
T. vaginalis adhered to epithelial cells like amoeba, and formed pseudopodium or surface invagination surrounding or nibbling other parts of the epithelial cytoplasm.
Conclusions:
T. vaginalis has the speciality of adhering to and phagocytizing to male genitourinary epithelial cells. Genitourinary epithelial cells may be injured directly by the phagocytosis of T. vaginalis. Attention has to be paid to the correlation.
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