Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
13:55
Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates
Published on: January 27, 2019
Trypanosoma cruzi surface mucins: host-dependent coat diversity
Carlos A Buscaglia1, Vanina A Campo, Alberto C C Frasch
1Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martn-CONICET, San Martín (1650), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Nature Reviews. Microbiology
|February 21, 2006
Summary
Trypanosoma cruzi parasites use a vast array of mucins on their surface for protection and to establish persistent infections. This study explores mucin diversity and its role in evading host immunity.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi surface is coated with mucins, crucial for protection and persistent infection.
- Mucin-encoding genes represent a significant portion (approx. 1% of genome, 6% of predicted genes) of T. cruzi.
- Variable mucin expression in mammal-dwelling stages suggests a strategy to evade host immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the expression profiling of T. cruzi mucins.
- To investigate mechanisms of mucin diversity acquisition.
- To explore the consequences of a mosaic surface coat in host-parasite interactions.
Main Methods:
- Expression profiling of T. cruzi mucins.
- Analysis of mechanisms generating mucin diversity.
- Investigation of host-parasite interplay.
Main Results:
- Significant repertoire of mucins with variable regions expressed.
- Identification of mechanisms contributing to mucin diversity.
- Potential role of mucin mosaicism in immune evasion.
Conclusions:
- T. cruzi mucins are key to parasite survival and infection persistence.
- Mucin diversity is a critical factor in the host-parasite relationship.
- Understanding mucin surface coat dynamics is vital for therapeutic strategies.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:28Diversity of Antigen Receptors
Antigen receptors are essential components of the immune system crucial in defending the body against foreign invaders. These receptors are present on the surface of B and T cells, enabling them to recognize antigens and mount an appropriate immune response.
Before encountering any antigen, lymphocytes express these receptors. On B cells, the antigen receptor is a membrane-bound antibody molecule called BCR; on T cells, it is a T cell receptor or TCR. B and T cell receptors are composed of two...
Before encountering any antigen, lymphocytes express these receptors. On B cells, the antigen receptor is a membrane-bound antibody molecule called BCR; on T cells, it is a T cell receptor or TCR. B and T cell receptors are composed of two...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
01:18Surface Membrane Barriers
The skin and mucous membranes serve as the primary line of defense against pathogens by providing both physical and chemical protection. These barriers are essential in preventing the entry and establishment of microbes, thereby maintaining the integrity of the host.
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
01:25Mucosal Barrier of the Stomach
The gastric glands contain parietal cells that secrete hydrochloric acid (HCl) for digestion. The cells secrete HCl because it is highly corrosive and essential for breaking down food. To achieve this, they secrete hydrogen and chloride ions into the lumen of the gastric glands, which combine to form HCl.
Within parietal cells, carbonic acid is first formed through the reaction of water and carbon dioxide. The dissociation of carbonic acid releases bicarbonate and hydrogen ions. The bicarbonate...
Within parietal cells, carbonic acid is first formed through the reaction of water and carbon dioxide. The dissociation of carbonic acid releases bicarbonate and hydrogen ions. The bicarbonate...
01:22Antigen Presenting Cells
The immune system is a complex network of cells and molecules that protects the body from foreign invaders. T cells, a type of white blood cell, play a crucial role in this process. They recognize and attack foreign substances, such as pathogens, that enter the body.
T cells require the help of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which process foreign antigens into smaller fragments that can be recognized by T cells. These APCs are highly specialized cells that efficiently internalize antigens...
T cells require the help of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which process foreign antigens into smaller fragments that can be recognized by T cells. These APCs are highly specialized cells that efficiently internalize antigens...