[Ultrastructure of the initial stages of interaction between halprowiae (Chlamydiae) and host cells]

The initial stages of the interaction of halprowiae (strain CP-1), isolated in Reiter's syndrome, with a monolayer culture of cells L-929 were studied. The electron-microscopic examination of the cells every 2 hours during the first 24 hours after the inoculation allowed to follow the processes of adsorption, endocytosis of elementary bodies and their transformation into reticulate bodies by the "decondensation" of nucleoid, which indicated the beginning of the vegetative (reproductive) stage of the developmental cycle. During all the periods of observation halprowiae were enclosed into the membranes of phagocytic vacuoles formed by host cells. Besides, in other vacuoles (probably, phagolysosomes) halprowiae at various stages of destruction could be observed. 8--10 hours after inoculation the phagosomes containing reticulate bodies began to merge, thus forming an inoculation the phagosomes containing reticulate bodies began to merge, thus forming an intracytoplasmic inclusion. In this inclusion a new generation of the agent was formed by binary-like fission. At the beginning of the vegetative stage halprowiae seem to be highly sensitive to the action of exo- and endogenic factors which may cause their L-transformation. Depending on the reaction of the host cell at the initial stages of interaction with halprowiae, 3 ways of such interaction are seemingly possible: developmental cycle, destruction in phagolysosomes. L-transformation.