Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Leishmania donovani amastigotes mobilize organic and inorganic osmolytes during regulatory volume decrease.

Ann Lefurgey1, Melissa Gannon, Joseph Blum

  • 1Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA. a.lefurgey@cellbio.duke.edu

The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
|June 2, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genomic Profiles of De Novo High- and Low-Volume Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Results From a 2-Stage Feasibility and Prevalence Study in the STAMPEDE Trial.

JCO precision oncology·2022
Same author

Treatment variation in early breast cancer in the UK.

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2020
Same author

Changing platforms without stopping the train: experiences of data management and data management systems when adapting platform protocols by adding and closing comparisons.

Trials·2019
Same author

Endogenous pneumoconiosis: Analytical scanning electron microscopic analysis of a case.

Ultrastructural pathology·2016
Same author

Biological effects of desert dust in respiratory epithelial cells and a murine model.

Inhalation toxicology·2014
Same author

Calcium- and polyphosphate-containing acidocalcisomes in chicken egg yolk.

Biology of the cell·2010

Leishmania amastigotes regulate cell volume during hypotonic stress via amino acid release and ion transport. This study reveals zinc

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Leishmania donovani parasites face osmotic stress cycling between insect vectors and human hosts.
  • Volume regulation mechanisms in the clinically relevant amastigote stage are poorly understood.
  • Amastigotes reside within host cell vacuoles, experiencing fluctuating osmotic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the volume regulatory responses of Leishmania donovani amastigotes to hypotonic stress.
  • To identify the osmolytes and ion transport mechanisms involved in amastigote volume regulation.
  • To explore the role of subcellular compartments, like acidocalcisomes, in this process.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological analysis
  • X-ray microanalysis

Related Experiment Videos

  • Biochemical assays

    • Main Results:

    • Amastigotes exhibit a regulatory volume decrease mediated by amino acids, including L-alanine.
    • A coordinated release of Na+, K+, phosphate, and Cl- occurs from the cytoplasm.
    • Acidocalcisomes show increased P, Zn2+, and Ca2+ with decreased Cl- content, indicating subcellular ion translocation.
    • This is the first evidence of zinc's potential role in parasite volume regulation.

    Conclusions:

    • Leishmania amastigotes employ complex organic and inorganic osmolyte strategies for volume regulation.
    • Subcellular compartments, particularly acidocalcisomes, are crucial for maintaining ionic homeostasis under hypo-osmotic stress.
    • The findings highlight novel mechanisms of parasite adaptation and potential therapeutic targets.