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 Concept Videos

Microbial Interactions: Parasitism01:22

Microbial Interactions: Parasitism

Parasitism is a form of microbial interaction in which parasitic microbes exploit a host organism for nutrients and shelter, often at the host's expense. Unlike mutualistic relationships, where both organisms benefit, parasitism benefits only the parasite and harms the host.Classification of ParasitesMicrobial parasites are broadly classified based on their location relative to the host.Ectoparasites remain on the host’s surface, such as the skin or outer tissues, drawing nutrients...
Amebiasis01:28

Amebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
Anthelminthic Agents01:15

Anthelminthic Agents

Anthelmintic drugs differ significantly from antiparasitic therapies targeting protozoa, primarily due to differences in parasite biology. Whereas most protozoal treatments act on proliferating cells, anthelmintics are typically directed against mature, nonproliferative helminths. The therapeutic approach considers the helminth's reliance on neuromuscular coordination, glucose metabolism, and microtubular integrity for survival, reproduction, and localization within the host. Most anthelmintics...
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Overview of Protists01:27

Overview of Protists

Protists are diverse eukaryotic microorganisms that lack the specialized tissues of plants and animals and the chitinous cell walls of fungi. Their early divergence within Eukarya resulted in structural, functional, and ecological diversity. They are classified into supergroups such as Archaeplastida, Excavata, Amoebozoa, Rhizaria, Alveolata, and Stramenopiles, determined through genetic analysis and structural similarities.Structural and Functional AdaptationsProtists have various adaptations...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Hematological consequences of environmental change during dewilding of rhesus macaques.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Controlled human helminth infection models: insights into type 2 immunity and therapeutic development.

Trends in parasitology·2026
Same author

Functional divergence of the gut microbiome associated with lifestyle and helminth infection in Indigenous Peninsular Malaysian.

Research square·2026
Same author

Atypical pericapillary Ly6G⁺Nur77⁺ macrophages initiate type-2 immune responses to allergens in the mouse lung.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Hematological Consequences of Environmental Change During Dewilding of Rhesus Macaques.

Research square·2025
Same author

Trichophyton concentricum fungal infections and skin microbiomes of Indigenous Peninsular Malaysians.

Cell·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases
09:13

Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases

Published on: November 22, 2024

Proteases in parasitic diseases.

James H McKerrow1, Conor Caffrey, Ben Kelly

  • 1Department of Pathology, Sandler Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA. jmck@cgl.ucsf.edu

Annual Review of Pathology
|November 28, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Parasitic diseases like schistosomiasis and malaria pose significant global health threats. This review highlights parasite proteases as key virulence factors driving disease pathogenesis and host-cell invasion.

More Related Videos

Analysis of the Epithelial Damage Produced by Entamoeba histolytica Infection
11:49

Analysis of the Epithelial Damage Produced by Entamoeba histolytica Infection

Published on: June 12, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases
09:13

Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases

Published on: November 22, 2024

Analysis of the Epithelial Damage Produced by Entamoeba histolytica Infection
11:49

Analysis of the Epithelial Damage Produced by Entamoeba histolytica Infection

Published on: June 12, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Parasitic diseases are a major global health burden, affecting millions and causing millions of deaths annually.
  • Genomic analysis has identified parasite-derived proteases as critical virulence factors in diseases such as schistosomiasis, malaria, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and African sleeping sickness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the direct role of parasite proteases in the pathogenesis of parasitic diseases.
  • To elucidate how proteases contribute to disease progression and host-parasite interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on genomic analysis and pathogenesis studies of major parasitic diseases.
  • Analysis of well-characterized examples of protease functions in parasitic infections.

Main Results:

  • Parasite proteases are identified as key virulence factors in numerous parasitic diseases.
  • Proteases are directly involved in host tissue invasion, degradation of host proteins (e.g., hemoglobin), immune evasion, and inflammation activation.

Conclusions:

  • Parasite proteases play a multifaceted and direct role in driving the pathogenesis of parasitic diseases.
  • Understanding protease functions is crucial for developing new therapeutic strategies against parasitic infections.