title: Coexistence of heterogeneous populations of Toxoplasma gondii parasites within parasitophorous vacuoles of murine macrophages as revealed by a bradyzoite-specific monoclonal antibody.
abstract: The expression of bradyzoite-specific antigens (Bsa) of Toxoplasma gondii was studied in murine bone-marrow-derived macrophages that had previously been infected with tachyzoites. Growth conditions that allowed only restricted replication of Toxoplasma gondii resulted in heterogeneous populations; (1) Bsa-positive and Bsa-negative parasites could be observed within one parasitophorous vacuole (heterogeneous vacuole community), and (2) homogeneous Bsa-positive and homogeneous Bsa-negative vacuole communities coexisted within one macrophage host cell. These observations suggest that stage conversion does not seem to be a synchronous event for a vacuole community.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bohne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heesemann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000469:parasitology*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001120:Arginine